August 31, 2010
9 P.M.
$7 , $5 with Student ID or RSVP
West Philadelphia – Where Live Music Will Once Again Inspire
Philadelphia, PA – When you mix a four piece band of studio/touring musicians, a witty and brotherly loved host, and the hottest new 600 person venue, you get – Pirate Radio Live (PRL). PRL is a weekly live music night, making its debut Tuesday, July 27th, for music lovers that want to drink good beer, enjoy uncommon, but reasonably priced food and hear fresh, new musicianship at its best. Located at 38th and Chestnut in University City, The Blockley makes for an ideal venue with its relaxed, warm, and safe atmosphere.
Every Tuesday from 8pm – 1am Pirate Radio Live will entertain guests by putting on a show knit with a mixture of live music and impromptu showmanship. PRL has at its talent core, host and curator of PRL, Rasheed “Rafik” Abdellah and the resident house band aptly called “Pirates Anthem,” which includes music director/guitarist Demien Desandies, keyboard and sax player Luke O’Reilly, drummer Khary Shaheed, and Rah Sungee on the bass.
Emerging DJ, AfroDJiak will be spinning everything from Nirvana to Biggie Smalls and the features for the first month The Rebel Yell with Domini Quinn aka ‘SupaStar’ (formally of Jack Herrera) and “Suspect 9” with Matt Sampson & Ericka Hicks will add an indelible contribution to the live music scene in West Philly.
To compliment the live entertainment and music, The Blockley will provide $3 draft beers, $5 Cosmos, $5 Apple Martini’s as well as half price on all sandwiches. There is ample street parking and SEPTA trolley, El, and bus service will land travelers within 2 blocks of the venue. Keeping in tune with being reasonably priced the cover charge is $5 with an online RSVP at www.pnbsonline.com ($7 at the door)
Rafik and partner Louis Manon, both agree that there’s nothing like a great night of live music in Philly, which is one of the inspirations behind the event. Rafik says the inspiration behind the event’s name and theme is the 1980’s Reggae hit Pirate’s Anthem where Shabba Ranks and Cocoa Tea decry the corporate mainstream music establishment. Louis adds, “Something’s in the air in West Philly right now and we hope to tap into that West Philly/Philly pride/love thing and keep the good vibes going.”
For more information go to:
RSVP – www.pnbsonline.com
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133325846688964
The Blockley – www.theblockley.com
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Online Ticketing for Donna Jean Godchaux Band- Wednesday 8/18 powered by Eventbrite
Wednesday, August 18
9 P.M. $ 9 adv/ $12 day
Donna Jean Godchaux Band w/ Jeff Matson
Supported by Bohemian Sunrise, Broad St. Blues
Born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Donna Jean Thatcher (vocals) sang at both Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and Fame Studios, home of the legendary “Muscle Shoals Sound,” on records like Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds,” Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman,” and Boz Scagg’s eponymous first solo album. She moved to San Francisco, married Keith Godchaux, and spent the 1970s as a vocalist in the Grateful Dead as well as the Jerry Garcia Band. After life with the Dead, she and Keith created the Heart of Gold Band with drummer Greg Anton and guitarist Steve Kimock.
Following various side trips, she resumed serious focus on her singing in the ‘90s, recording a new Heart of Gold Band album, At the Table, and singing with Phil & Friends and her own Donna Jean Band.
Jeff Mattson (guitar, vocals) came to prominence as the lead guitarist, primary vocalist, and leader of Long Island’s legendary Grateful Dead-influenced jam band, the Zen Tricksters. Over the course of thirty years, his supple, elegant playing reflected a fusion of rock, blues, bluegrass, country, jazz and folk stylings, along with a healthy dose of psychedelia. His songwriting credits include the exquisitely mournful “Shelter” (co-written with Donna Jean), as well as “Travelin’ Light,” (co-written with Melissa Marston), “He Said/She Said,” (with Donna Jean), and “A Prisoner Says His Piece,” all for Donna Jean and the Tricksters. He also co-wrote with Rob Barracco “Leave Me Out of This” for Phil Lesh and Friends’ There and Back Again. He played with Phil Lesh and Friends in 1999.
David MacKay (bass, vocals) hails from Marin County, California. As part of the emerging Bay Area music scene of the 70′s, he was a founding member of the popular band the Tasmanian Devils and recorded and toured with Michael Nesmith, playing bass on the first Grammy-winning video, “Elephant Parts.” He was a member of both the original and reformed Heart of Gold Band. Most recently, he has played bass with the Muscle Shoals-based group The Fiddleworms.
Joe Chirco (percussion) knew he was born to be a drummer from the Christmas Day, aged five, that he received his first drum set. What makes him positively unique among drummers has been his need to play in many different genres. As most working musicians do, he’s a member of a number of different bands – but few could list bands that have Jazz, Latin, Reggae, and Rock as their main styles. This subtle versatility, along with the soulful power that every rock band needs, has brought him to the DJGBwJM.
To put it mildly, Mark Adler (keyboards, vocals) is not a conventional rock keyboard player. In fact, he is a distinguished film composer (he scored last summer’s indie hit Bottle Shock and the upcoming feature documentary Food, Inc.) He succeeded Keith Godchaux on the keys for the original, early-80s Heart of Gold Band, and was in the revised HOG Band in 2004. He also worked as a music editor for people like Milos Forman, David Lynch, and Francis Ford Coppola on projects like Amadeus, Blue Velvet, and Godfather III. He’s a regular at the Sundance Film Festival and has won an Emmy. He’s also exceedingly happy – as is Donna Jean – to return to playing next to Donna Jean Godchaux once again.
For more information, check out donnajeangodchauxband.info/
Bohemian Sunrise
Bohemian Sunrise was formed by a close-knit group of friends with the common goal of simply making the best music they could. Based in the Philadelphia/South Jersey region, Bohemian Sunrise takes their raw, rhythmic sound to unprecedented levels through their creative instrumentation, insightful songwriting, and genre-transcending arrangements. Building their success through hard work and consistently winning over audiences at prime shows throughout their career, Bohemian Sunrise has earned the honor of sharing the stage with Rusted Root at Philadelphia’s famous Electric Factory, and playing at The Tweeter Center on the Waterfront in Camden, NJ with the remaining members of The Grateful Dead and Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, in addition to joining The Steve Miller Band at DE’s Frawley Stadium. Bohemian Sunrise has also gained a following in the clubs opening for headliners including Vince Welnick (The Grateful Dead and The Tubes), The String Cheese Incident, The Recipe, Jazz Mandolin Project, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Deep Banana Blackout, Peter Prince & Moon Boot Lover, The Bomb Squad, and Vinyl at venues including the Theater of Living Arts (TLA) and the Trocadero in Philadelphia, NJ’s famous Stone Pony and Conduit, MD’s Funk Box/8×10 Club and Recher Theater, and the legendary Stone Balloon in Delaware. Their upcoming 2009 Winter/Spring tour will include a mix of new venues as well as return stops at NC’s Blind Tiger, Dragonfly Theatre, and Smokey Joe’s, in addition to NY’s Cyber Café West, various festivals, and more!
Bohemian Sunrise diversifies their schedule by combining opening for national acts with headlining venues like World Cafe Downstairs Live, North Star Bar, and The Stanhope House. To bring in the New Year, they sold out their New Year’s SleepOver Shindig, one in a series of successful self-produced shows. Merchandising is also an integral part of this band’s business; their list of almost twenty items includes tops, stickers, and incense. In addition, the band offers many of their live recordings free at shows and with on-line purchases, as well as a video for the fan favorite, Kiss it All Goodbye.
Bohemian Sunrise has consistently proven their ability and broadened their elemental sound, to appeal to both long-standing and new fans. Unswerving dedication, effective networking, relevant opportunities, and comprehensive experience have helped to cultivate Bohemian Sunrise into the professional, talented force they have worked hard to become.
Check out more at www.bohemiansunrise.com
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Online Ticketing for Akron/Family with Sleepy Sun at The Blockley 9/7 powered by Eventbrite
Event Registration Online for Akron/Family with Sleepy Sun at The Blockley 9/7 powered by Eventbrite
Tuesday, September 7
Akron/Family, Sleepy Sun, The Love Club
9pm, $10 advance / $13 day of show
Akron/Family
Opening with a groove unlike anything Akron/Family have ever laid to tape, the first track on Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free kicks off a new chapter for the band. The percussive thunder and anthemic electric guitars of “Everyone is Guilty” make a bold statement, touching on everything from Fela Kuti to Sly and the Family Stone in under six psychedelic minutes. This is not the Akron/Family you think you know.
As “Everyone is Guilty” fades into “River” the band returns to something they have always been known for: writing a timeless hook. “River” delivers Ali Farka Toure-like guitar work, but this song is all about the infectious vocal melody.
As the album unfolds, Akron/Family’s musical explorations are virtually without limits. Whether it’s the celebratory sing-along gospel of “Gravelly Mountains of the Moon,” the lush folk sounds of “Sun Will Shine (Warmth of the Sunship Version),” or “MBF,” which lies at the intersection of primal punk rock and heavy free jazz, Akron/Family are a band boiling over with ideas. Their musical vocabulary runs deep — it’s not just Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young and the Grateful Dead that inform Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free. Akron/Family feel at home on this album, confident and self-assured.
Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free marks their first album recorded as a trio; Seth Olinsky, Miles Seaton and Dana Janssen became a three piece in 2007 after original member Ryan Vanderhoof left the band that fall. This is also the first time Akron/Family have self-produced an album, as well as their first recording since parting ways with their original label, Young God Records. These changes could not be more significant, and all are at the core of the Akron/Family’s transformation on Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free.
Following 2007′s Love is Simple, the band reconfigured their approach to touring. They brought along like-minded musicians such as Megafaun, the Dodos and Greg Davis, both as openers and as members of an ever-changing Akron/Family ensemble, bringing about cacophonous onstage jams interwoven between the band’s songs. Whether it’s the three members of Akron/Family — communicating and interacting with one another onstage with something like the visceral language of the classic John Coltrane or Albert Ayler ensembles — or upwards of a dozen guest musicians joining them, their live shows are becoming a thing of legend. Akron/Family’s 2008 Emo’s gig in Austin was one of these legendary performances. The band led the audience and nearly 20 musicians from the stage in an Arkestra-like free-for-all to a riotous, shirtless and sing-a-long parade in the streets. These unhinged performances have been witnessed by audiences at the Monolith, Isle of Wight, High Sierra, Coachella and End of the Road festivals, and since then word has traveled fast about the magic of Akron/Family. The trio of Olinsky, Seaton and Janssen is a sight to behold.
Following a year of making things bigger and wilder live, the band returns to something simpler on Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free. With limited outside assistance, this trio has made a focused, powerful and unified work. Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free maintains the communal spirit of the big band that won audiences over throughout the world, but it showcases Akron/Family at its core — three musicians, equals, creating music from deep within. Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free is something undeniably special and immensely powerful. Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free is the new psychedelic rock (Dead Oceans website).
Check out more Akron/Family @ http://www.myspace.com/akronfamily
Sleepy Sun
Sleepy Sun is a California band from many Californias. They hail from the rolling oak and sage hills of Sierra Gold Country, The San Francisco Peninsula, where Kesey raged and the Dead were once Warlocks, and the forever-sunshine climes of the Southland. They came together—young and garage strutting in the coastal Northern California crucible of Santa Cruz. And there they birthed the Sleepy sound—dead blues shaken alive, razor sharp and ramblin’, soul, sonic science and dead-on pop surgery. Wooden, earthy, stratospheric, and swinging…California music of beautiful contrasts for conflicted times.
Now, two records into a frighteningly fast-blossoming evolution, Sleepy Sun are a living machine of fire and focus. Their first release on ATP records Embrace illuminated the golden path to Sleepy land—hard-riffing, delicate, dreamy and cultivated. The latest ATP release, Fever, is arrival at the palace the path promised.
Fever is the honey harmonies and danger wailing of Bret Constantino and Rachel Williams pulled from a tender tangle into steel-strong braid; the wing-on-wing guitars of Matt Holliman and Even Reiss in screaming dives and sweet ascending circles; the lowdown served up tough and thundering from drum and bass authorities Brian Tice and Jack Allen.
Fever is a band working, like the heroic combos of old—real, made by hand, eyes ahead on an unbridled future and giving two shits for the sideways glance of the lurking trend spotter. A band working, and a working band—Sleepy Sun’s soaring and soul-stirring live shows are already mowing down audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. They’ve opened for Autolux and Mudhoney, rocked Primavera and Treasure Island, and relentlessly toured the capitals and humble hamlets of North America and Europe. And in their path, the converts are fast becoming legion.
They are a band of musical adventure too—tackling Graham Nash’s ‘Chicago’ for a forthcoming compilation celebrating the Hollie/CSNY legend’s work. English electronic collective U.N.K.L.E. have taken note of Sleepy Sun’s eclectic energies as well, working collaboratively on a track with the band for an upcoming single and LP.
Sleepy Sun won’t relent in 2010. Fever in May, SXSW and the Arctic Monkeys in spring. And as always, a hundred twists yet untold in a message—sent with burning love and rock-solid soul—from California to the whole damn beyond(sleepysun.net)…
Check out more Sleepy Sun @ http://www.sleepysun.net/
The Love Club
Check out this Deli Philadelphia article about The Love Club
Read it by clicking HERE
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Online event registration for UK Legends- The Alarm- reunite and come to The Blockley powered by Eventbrite
Friday, September 10
$16 advance / $20 day of show
The beginnings of The Alarm are rooted in the punk rock soundclash of 1977 when an impressionable Mike Peters began writing three minute blasts of electric noise on a beat up white guitar. The energy of the times has sustained Mike Peters ever since.
Formed by Mike Peters in 1981, the early Alarm sound featured a daring mix of amped up acoustic guitars, harmonica and passionate vocals that invited the enduring description “Bob Dylan meets The Clash”. This is the sound of The Alarm that has been heard around the world ever since with 17 Top 50 UK singles, a host of successful albums and over 5 million sales worldwide. (The Alarm’s most recent chart success ‘Three Sevens Clash’ (Guerilla Tactics 2008), rose to number 3 in the Alternative US Radio Charts).
Another all together darker dimension was added to this ever evolving Alarm story when Mike Peters was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), just before the release of ‘Under Attack’ in January 2006. Despite having to undertake a heavy schedule of chemotherapy, Mike Peters carried out all his duties as front man of The Alarm. In between monthly chemo sessions he played every show booked in the UK and even two tours of the USA including an emotional performance at The Joey Ramone Lymphoma Research Benefit Concert in New York City. Whilst in New York Mike Peters received the news his family and Alarm fans worldwide had been hoping for when he was declared to be in remission. BBC cameras had been allowed to capture Mike’s cancer battle from the beginning, and a powerful and revealing TV documentary ‘The Road To Recovery’ was broadcast in August 2006.
Since then Mike Peters has formed his own cancer charity Love Hope Strength Foundation (LHSF) taking the fight against cancer to new heights and leading a team of musicians to 18,500 feet on Mt. Everest to break the record for the world’s highest concert on land and help build a cancer centre in Kathmandu, Nepal. Since then Mike Peters and LHSF have hosted further ground breaking musical treks to Macchu Picchu (2008), and the summit of Kilimanjaro (2009), providing much needed cancer care for those in the developing world. LHSF is now the biggest rock and roll cancer charity in the world, running hundreds of DNA Saliva based bone marrow donor drives at music events all across the USA and (after some powerful Mike Peters lead campaigns in Parliament), now doing the same at home in the UK. This August, Mike Peters will once again lead the LHSF team to Mt. Fuji in Japan to further highlight the need for a global initiative in the registration of bone marrow donors.
In 2000 the modern line up of The Alarm came together with originator Mike Peters being joined by James Stevenson (Gen X) on guitar, bass guitarist Craig Adams (Sisters Of Mercy / The Mission) and Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers) on drums.
Since then, this new version of The Alarm has continued to defy the odds, building a reputation for all out shows based on new and challenging music. The seeds for this Alarm renaissance were sown in 2004 when The Alarm released the controversial ’45 R.P.M.’ under the pseudonym ‘The Poppy Fields’ which entered the UK charts at number 23 and immediately became the subject of an international news story. The furor centered around the fact that The Alarm’s identity had been kept hidden from the media and instead a stand-in group of 18 year old musicians appeared in the video. ’45 R.P.M.’ was played throughout the UK and championed by unsuspecting DJ’s and critics as the first release by a brand new band. It was only after the song entered the charts that The Alarm revealed the true identity of ‘The Poppy Fields’, thus causing a storm of worldwide media speculation. The band even featured on prime time America’s CBS News with Dan Rather and the story has subsequently become the inspiration for a film entitled ‘VINYL’ which will be shot in the U.K. this summer by ‘Shrek ‘ producer, John H. Williams and British film director Sara Sugarman.
The Alarm scored a first chart success in the USA in 1983 with ‘The Stand’, before flying back from America to appear on their very first UK Top Of The Pops, notching up their first British chart hit with the rousing ‘Sixty Eight Guns’. ‘Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke?’ hit the Charts in early 1984 before the release of their debut LP, Declaration’, which went Top Five UK on week of release.
The Alarm’s second album, ‘Strength’ (the title track becoming The Alarm’s first U.S. Top 40 hit) was released in 1985 and spawned Mike Peters’ autobiographical ‘Spirit of ’76′. At this time, The Alarm also made history by playing the world’s very first global satellite concert, the ‘Spirit of ‘86 Concert’ which was performed to an audience of 26,000 fans at UCLA in California and screened live around the world by MTV.
‘Eye of The Hurricane’ (1987) sported the international hit, ‘Rain in The Summertime’ and a series of world tours (including a critically acclaimed US outing with Bob Dylan), further enhanced The Alarm’s reputation.
‘Change’, The Alarm’s fourth album (1989), proved to be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, with ‘A New South Wales’ reaching the UK Top 40 and ‘Sold Me Down the River’ becoming a U.S. Number 1 Rock Hit. The Alarm saw out the 1980’s in New York City were they were joined on stage by Neil Young to perform ‘Rockin’ In the Freeworld’.
‘Raw’ (their first record of the 1990′s), was the last record to feature the original line-up of the band who played their final show at Brixton Academy in June 1991.
In 1992, The Alarm became one of the first bands to have a dedicated internet site www.thealarm.com and in that same year, founded The Gathering, the annual ‘Alarm’ event held in North Wales which now attracts fans from all over the world.
Mike Peters took a step back from the Alarm throughout the rest of the 1990’s beginning with the release of ‘Breathe’ in 1994 (which debuted at number 5 in the U.K. independent charts). The second album, ‘Feel Free’ (1996) documented Mike Peters’ first battle with cancer (Non Hodgkins Lymphoma). Rejecting conventional treatment, Mike Peters went to see of a faith healer instead, and continued to tour. Upon being told that ‘green’ was a powerful colour in his life, Mike Peters wore green combat fatigues every day until he eventually went into spontaneous remission in 1997.
Mike Peters celebrated his return to health with the release of the ‘Rise’ album which indirectly lead him into his musical relationship with current band members James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley.
In 2000, ‘The Alarm Complete Collection’ box set was released to widespread critical acclaim. The collection brought together The Alarm’s entire 1980′s musical output into a nine-CD box set, along with a ground breaking bonus ‘audio dedication’ CD personally recorded by Mike Peters. Never before or since, has such a gesture been undertaken by a recording artist.
To coincide with ‘The Alarm Complete Collection’ release, Mike Peters reconstituted The Alarm for some low key shows supporting ‘Big Country’ with a line up that featured Peters alongside original Alarm member Eddie Macdonald, current guitarist James Stevenson, bass player Craig Adams and drummer Steve Grantley. Headline shows were demanded and soon The Alarm was on the road again throughout 2000/2001 (although Macdonald decided not to continue).
Energized by the tour and accepted by the fans, the new four piece Alarm, released five ‘internet only’ brand new studio albums (recorded in as many months from September ‘02 – January ‘03), and reintroduced themselves to America via ‘The Alarm Make A Stand In The USA Tour.’ Throughout the month of November, the members of The Alarm flew backwards and forwards across the continent as they fulfilled their engagement of playing shows in the four major US cities of New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles on a weekly basis.
Upon their return in 2004, the band released ’45 R.P.M.’ as a single under the pseudonym ‘Poppy Fields’, a chart act that made the whole world sit up and take notice of the band once again. ’In The Poppy Fields’ was also the title of the album that followed.
In 2006 came ‘Under Attack’ and a second shock for Mike Peters when he was diagnosed with Leukemia. Undeterred, Peters has carried on regardless and is now currently in his second remission working harder than ever, overseeing the release of The Alarm’s ‘Guerilla Tactics’ (2008), which was launched via an audacious acoustic concert in New York’s Times Square and now leading the line once again with a new album, ‘Direct Action’, in 2010.
Check out more @ http://www.myspace.com/thealarm
The Absolute Zeros
“Having a special quality that allows for one’s music to stand out from the crowd can really help make a band shine. Such diversity is one of the strong points behind The Absolute Zeros. Not only does their music cross many styles, but their members cross many generations and walks of life. When put together, they all make incredible music.” Bill McThrill, The Compendium Vol 3, Issue 7
Formed from the unlikely union of UK beachtown singer/guitarist Kelvin Cochrane and North Philly percussionist extraordinaire Sabu Rex, The Absolute Zeros started making music in 2007. The band quickly evolved into a 5 piece unit with the addition of Bill Rose on drums, Steve La Monica on bass and Austin Madert on lead guitar. Within their first year, the band recorded their self titled debut album and tightened their live performance by playing anywhere and everywhere in the Philadelphia area. The Zeros’ dynamic shows quickly earned them a reputation as one of the most promising new acts in Philly. 2008 included rave reviews in local press, radio airplay and TV appearances but ended in tragedy when co-founding member Sabu Rex unexpectedly passed away on December 1, 2008. Following a period of mourning, the band decided to carry on in honor of Sabu. They were signed to Saint Joseph’s University indie label, 1851 Records, which released the song “Whisper in the Storm” as their first single with the label. While still playing out regularly, they continued working on new material while re-working old favorites to fill voids left by Sabu’s trademark percussion.
The summer of 2009 marked another big change for the band. Longtime lead guitarist Austin Madert departed and drummer Bill Rose put down his sticks to take the role of new lead guitarist. The newest member of the band, Mike Sharkansky, stepped in as drummer to complete the new lineup. This change brought a new energy to the AZ’s live set while also creating fresh inspiration for new songs.
After spending the beginning of 2010 in the studio recording new material, The Absolute Zeros are proud to release their new 6 song EP, “Irredeemable.” This album captures the transitional period of the past year while also boldly stating their current identity. The opening track “Where Does The River Come to Rest” was the last song to be recorded by the old lineup, featuring Austin on guitar, Bill on Drums, and Sabu on percussion. “Simple Life” and “Lightbulbs” have been live staples for years, while “Ozzies Song,” “You Will Find” and “Rain” are all new additions to the band’s repertoire. This EP is earthy and honest, truly exhibiting the Absolute Zeros’ natural diversity. With an already established presence in the Philadelphia local music scene, The Absolute Zeros are ready to bring their music to new fans while at the same time keeping things interesting for longtime supporters.
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/theabsolutezeros
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Online Ticketing for Danny Bedrosian’s (P-Funk) Secret Army w/ Dirk Quinn Band powered by Eventbrite
Wednesday, September 15
Secret Army(feat. members of P-Funk)
Dirk Quinn Band
9pm, $7 advance, $10 at the door
Secret Army
Photo by Lisa Bedrosian
SECRET ARMY is the brainchild of PFunk Keyboardist Danny Bedrosian, who fronts the band that features Pfunk/original Headhunters guitarist Dewayne Blackbyrd Mcknight, and Pfunk Bassist Lige Curry, P-Funk Drummer Rico Lewis, German-born, Boston based musician Marc Munoz, The Soular System’s guitarist Mike Maloney, Florida vocalist Teresa Jimenez, and Danny’s sister keyboardist/Singer/songwriter Elise Bedrosian
SECRET ARMY’s genuine musicianship combines Big Funk sound with a variety of genres; Armenian and other Near Eastern modes, scales, and rhythms as well as a hefty amount of insight from various Classical music genres from various periods with a heavy concentration on Baroque and early Modern classical forms, Jazz Fusion of a new sort, Heavy rock sounds, Hip Hop flavor, Soul, Gospel, and much more!
The band has played sold-out shows in the south, the midwest and the northeast. Secret Army also has a huge European and Australian fanbase, and is working with BoogieDown Productions’ Paul Quinn on upcoming work in Europe and the UK.
Secret Army/BOZFONK Street Teams are popping up all over the world, with active membership in advertising, consignment, distribution, bookings, and promotion in over 20 U.S. States, 3 Canadian Provinces, The UK, France, Holland, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand. Secret Army has been winning new recruits all over the world. The band also has deals with hundreds of record stores, and digital distribution deals with hundreds of companies. BOZFONK’s U.S. and European sales have tripled in the past year alone. The technical and artistic talents of the musicians and vocalists involved have been impressing people over and over again, as the band grooves out renditions of the songs from the debut Secret Army album, as well as the newest double disc The Sleaziest of The Greaze; In addition, the band also works out songs from Bedrosian’s Som’n Fierce album, as well as upcoming music on the next Secret Army disc entitled MUZZLE MOOSICK.
All of the Secret Army CD or Som’n Fierce CDs can be purchased at the official website of Secret Army and all BOZFONK MOOSICK www.dannybedrosian.com. (you can also get a lot of other great albums there produced by Danny including The Soular System, Teresa Jimenez, MoonChild, Asphalt Panda, and others) Secret Army’s live show is unforgettable. A patchwork of ethnic, racial, religious, and gender diversity is evident in the band’s makeup, but its the MUSIC, and the sheer ENERGY that drives the groove home in this band, and it doesn’t let up, until you find yourself screaming for more. There is literally something for every fan in this group. And the sonic power of the band is breathtaking, especially when taking into account the tonal superiority of the musicians themselves.
SECRET ARMY is as bassist Lige Curry put it “a new dynasty of music”, and it serves it’s reputation well; The Funk will never die, with Danny Bedrosian & Secret Army it has morphed into something for the new century, something both innovative and retrospective. Come and enjoy DANNY BEDROSIAN & SECRET ARMY(www.DannyBedrosian.com)
Check out more @ http://www.myspace.com/somnfierce
Dirk Quinn Band
Dirk Quinn
… is a Philadelphia based guitarist who has utilized nearly a decade of steady performing to develop a unique and progressive style – one that sits somewhere between jazz, funk and rock.
Initially attracted to the guitar as a teenager after being introduced to classic rock giants such as Led Zeppelin and The Who, Quinn’s thirst for the unique and bizarre soon had him jamming along to the more radical and daring Mahavishnu Orchestra and the humorous, bass-laden noise of Primus. Playing virtually non-stop with countless musical projects afforded him ample opportunity to hone his chops. It wouldn’t be long before the refining of his own artistic message coupled with a fresh, new outlook and a deeper musical/life philosophy opened up to him the world of jazz. Miles, Coltrane, Monk and Brubeck along with the more contemporary sounds of Bela Fleck, John Scofield, Ahmad Jamal and Jaco Pastorius began heavily influencing his musical direction. Liberated by the idea of free improvisation, he was finally able to realize and focus his musical vision.
In 2007 Quinn made his long-awaited recording debut releasing his self-titled CD – “Dirk Quinn”. Working the club and coffee house circuit, Quinn became increasingly in demand playing as many as three gigs a day while getting the occasional call to share the stage with musical legends such as Jimmy Bruno, Jim Weider (The Band), Rodney Holmes (Santana), Chico Huff (Pat Martino, John Swana), Jef Lee Johnson (George Clinton, David Sanborn), and Sam Kininger (Soulive) – each performance steadily garnering more recognition for Quinn, who believes in winning fans one by one on the merit of his own music.
“QuinnTet”, his latest CD release, features “thoughtful, original melodies flowing seamlessly over groove-heavy rhythms; intricate song structures giving way to strongly expressive, organic improvisations.” Drawing inspiration from every musical genre, his solo acoustic sound has been compared to the guitar “pyrotechnics” of Keller Williams and Michael Hedges, while his full band compositions bear resemblances that range from the honest, urban funk of Soulive to the brave experimentation of Medeski, Martin and Wood.
Surrounding himself with a group of extremely talented and like-minded musicians, Quinn has been playing shows up and down the east coast while receiving an ever increasing amount of media attention. His music has now been featured on over 80 radio stations worldwide and gets daily spins in his hometown of Philadelphia. Quinn and the band have also performed live numerous times on Fox 45′s morning show in Baltimore and have had the great pleasure of guesting on Gene Shay’s Sunday night radio show on WXPN and Jeff Duperon’s “Straight Ahead” jazz program on WRTI.
The band’s high energy and musical interplay routinely attract listeners that are admittedly more accustomed to lyric-based music. With great melodic sensibilities, rhythmic experimentation and an accessible modern edge, the Dirk Quinn Band is jazz/funk improvisation at its most exciting!
Check out more @ http://www.myspace.com/dirkquinnband
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It’s unusual for a new rock band to sell out their first performance, but then again, AUTOMATIC FIRE is not just another new rock band. Molded from some of the best bands to come out of the Philly rock scene, AUTOMATIC FIRE has all the makings of a supergroup: famous band mates, devoted fan base, and a commercial sound that still retains freshness and originality.
Pawnshop Roses are Paul Keen, Kevin Bentley, Justin Monteleone, Mike Walsh and Zil. Their sound is comprised of well crafted songs in the singer/songwriter vein, laced with Saturday night guitars and swagger, played by guys with nothing to lose and everything to prove. Signed to Earvolution Records, a small indie label that shares the same ideas and visions as the band. The first full length record on Earvolution, “Let it Roll” was produced by Pete Donnelly of the Figgs (Amos Lee/G-Love/Graham Parker) at Milkboy Recording (Gomez/Townhall) with a couple song co-arrangements by noted alt-country artist Tom Gillam. Pete Donnelly adds some vocal, guitar and bass backing on a few tracks while Jonn Savannah (Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, Squeeze) sits in for piano on “Here We Go” and “Planning Out Your Heart.” The band recently recorded at the legendary Sun Recording Studios in Memphis. New EP “Versions” and the album “Let It Roll are currently available online at all major digital music stores (Itunes, Rhapsody, etc.)
9 Dec
