June 2017

Michael McDermott burst onto the scene in his early 20's with his exceptional debut, 620 W. Surf and subsequently found himself touted as Rock's 'Next Big Thing'. MTV, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and even author, Stephen King added their appreciative nods and having the backing of Giant Records and prestigious producers like, Brian Koppelman and Don Gehman, seemed to go a long way towards assuring his success - overnight success.

The missteps and failures that followed, the collapse of an industry that once embraced him as its next sensation, are troubles and travails that either ruin a person completely, or they force a change of attitude and staunch determination to gather one's resolve to not only survive, but overcome. McDermott vowed to do both. Ten albums in, it's resulted in Willow Springs (Pauper Sky, June 17, 2016), one of the most honest, daring and defiant recordings of McDermott's career. Named for the small town where he now resides with his wife and young daughter, it reflects a certain circumspect about his life, the situations he's encountered, while realizing that ultimately, his fate resided in his own hands.

"This is an album of reckoning I suppose," McDermott reflects. "There was a real cacophony of change going on in my life at the time... being a new father, losing my own father, leaving the city for the country, dealing with sobriety, grief, death, mortality, shame and forgiveness. It was a veritable emotional tsunami and yet somehow I had to navigate through it all. That journey is reflected in these songs. Willow Springs is the name of the place where I took refuge and had to confront a lot of things".

Recorded at his home in the country and fan-funded, Willow Springs finds McDermott behind the boards as producer for the first time with longtime producer and collaborator, Lex Price doing the mix. Having enlisted a stellar support group of musicians -- including multi-instrumentalist, Price; guitarist, Will Kimbrough; keyboard player, John Deaderick ; sax player Rich Parenteau; and McDermott's wife, Heather Horton on backing vocals - McDermott found himself able to craft the unassuming yet cutting sound he envisioned.

Indeed, the results bear out the fact that Willow Springs is the most honest and expressive album of McDermott's extraordinary 25 year career. Songs such as, 'These Last Few Days', 'Getaway Car', 'Half Empty Kinda Guy', 'One Minus One' and the title track, convey all at once, a sound that's both reflective and confessional - borne by stark emotion and a tattered, battered delivery that's both sobering and sublime. McDermott remains more determined than ever, and Willow Springs is the result. "My enthusiasm is only matched by my desire to continue to evolve as an artist" he insists.

Accolades and kudos can be accumulated one minute and quickly dissipate the next. After all, the music biz is a fickle beast and it doesn't matter how much you pleased the masses last year, last month or even last week, but rather, about what you offer today.

Today, McDermott has offered his best.

Kudos to Michael McDermott - overnight success.

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Sam Llanas (formerly of the BoDeans) is an iconic American singer, acoustic guitarist, and songwriter. Best known for his unique and distinctively soulful voice, Sam's fiery vocals fueled many of his former band's finest songs including their biggest hit "Closer To Free." It was Llanas' voice that supplied the trademark vocal on Robbie Robertson's "Somewhere Down the Crazy River."

In 1997 Llanas founded the band Absinthe. As Absinthe Sam released one album, 1998's critically acclaimed A Good Day To Die. In 2011 Sam Llanas left the BoDeans and released 4 A.M. (The Way Home) on Inner Knot Records. In 2013 he released the live retrospective 4/5 Live - Vol I.

In 2012 the music from 1998's A Good Day To Die was incorporated into a collaboration with playwright Doug Vincent and producer Gary Tanin in the production "A Day for Grace." By 2013 the play had evolved to include multi-city tours and multi-week runs in New York City.

On November 18th, 2014 Llanas is set to release The Whole Night Thru an all new studio record produced by longtime collaborator Gary Tanin. It features 9 new Llanas originals. The Whole Night Thru is Llanas' first studio outing after parting ways with the band he co- fronted for over a quarter century. Shedding new light on a multi-decade career Sam returns to his roots adding a refined rock sound complimented by a full band, all veterans of both studio and live performance. Behind his lone-wolf image and tuffness, Llanas continues to hone his skills. A master craftsman that feels most at home in the city he's always called home, Llanas has set the stage for fans to embrace his new identity.

Since forming in the Rustbelt of Cleveland, OH in 2010, Broccoli Samurai has been taking the club and festival scene by storm. The band's synth-laden, drum and bass influenced, progressive electronica has been thrilling audiences throughout the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast markets, winning them a massive and fiercely loyal fanbase. Eager fans pack dance floors and late-night festival sets with smiles across their faces, waiting to get lost in the band's ambient soundscapes, anticipating every bass drop that will force them to move with reckless abandon. Broccoli Samurai's line-up includes founding member Ryan "Bruce" Hodson on keys and synth, and Cameron Bickley on drums and percussion. Accomplished bassist Zach Wolfe anchors the rhythm section, while guitarist Michael Vincent weaves in and out, exploring new sonic territory.

The band has played countless festivals such as Peach Music Festival, Electric Forest, Catskill Chill Music Festival, Aura Music and Art Festival, The Werk Out, BIG What?!, Domefest, Paradise Music and Art Festival, Rootwire, The Mad Tea Party Jam, The Ville, SummerDance, Disc Jam, Night Lights Fall Music Festival, The Gathering At Chaffee's, Utica Music and Art Festival, and Hyperion Fest. Broccoli Samurai has directly supported and toured with many known bands including Dopapod, Papadosio, Lotus, Conspirator, The Werks, Ozric Tentacles, BoomBOX, Big Gigantic, Rusted Root, O.A.R., Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Aqueous, and BIG Something. Broccoli Samurai's extensive tour schedule has them playing high profile venues and major cities regularly, and the band will be increasing the number of performances and expanding their reach into the West Coast and Southern markets in 2015. This band is making big moves and the time to take notice is now.

Bent Knee is a band without frontiers. The Boston-based group seamlessly connects the worlds of rock, pop and the avant-garde into its own self-defining statement. On its globally-acclaimed Cuneiform release Say So, the band focuses on the sound of surprise. It's rock for the thinking person. The group's lyrics are dark and infused with themes focusing on the emergence of personal demons, unwanted situations and the difficulty of conquering them. Its mercurial sound matches its subject matter. It's a thrilling aural roller-coaster ride with arrangements designed to make listeners throw their arms up in wild abandon as they engage with them.

The album has received glowing reviews across major media, including The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, NPR, Consequence of Sound, and Prog. BBC Radio 6 and BBC Radio 3 have also playlisted and championed the band across Europe.

"Say So resoundingly demonstrates the increasing refinement and confidence of a group that doesn't quite fit any conventional pigeonhole, with emphatic crunch, a knack for complexity, mixed with lively wit," said Steve Smith of The Boston Globe. "Live, the band projects visceral glee, exactingly harmonized and wholly infectious."

Founded in 2009, Bent Knee is a true collective. The band operates as a democratic entity with sky-high standards and a determination to push boundaries. Frontwoman and keyboardist Courtney Swain's acrobatic, multi-octave vocals are nothing less than extraordinary. Guitarist Ben Levin morphs between the hauntingly melodic and extreme, dissonant sonics--sometimes within a single verse or passage. Bassist Jessica Kion and drummer Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth deliver deep and thunderous grooves, full of engaging, intriguing ornamentation. Violinist Chris Baum's driving melodic overlays and atmospheres further take the band's sound into wild territory. And all of it is brilliantly processed and produced by sound designer Vince Welch.

Bent Knee has remained on a skyward trajectory since forming. Its last two albums, 2014's Shiny Eyed Babies and its self-titled 2011 release, were hailed as significant art-rock achievements. The group has performed more than 375 shows across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan to date. They've also headlined at major festivals and venues including Lincoln Center, ROSfest, Tulsa Center of the Universe, Burg Herzberg Festival, and Campbell Bay Music Fest. During the fall of 2016, they opened for The Dillinger Escape Plan on the U.S. leg of their farewell tour.

"What Bent Knee does is fuse the most extreme ends of pop and avant-garde music together," says Welch. "We feel those things aren't nearly as mutually exclusive as most people think."

"When I listen back to Say So, I think it's the most accessible thing Bent Knee has ever done," continues Wallace-Ailsworth. "But other times, I think it's the strangest thing Bent Knee has ever done. For instance, 'Leak Water' is a relatively linear rock tune by our standards, whereas 'Eve' is a sprawling, epic with radical twists and turns. I think the album reflects the full spectrum of our diverse musical personalities."

Those extremes are also mirrored in the album's lyrical themes.

"On Say So, we're looking at the bigger picture and figuring out where we as individuals stand and how we carve out meaning in this giant universe," explains Baum. "The album art captures that idea too. It's why it features a figure lost in the woods, surrounded by darkness but looking out into the light."

Even with those signifiers and aims, the band prefers its lyrics to be wide open to interpretation. It feels both listeners and the group itself benefit from that perspective.

"I've had listeners come up to me and say 'Good Girl' from Say So is a strong statement against women being patronized or oppressed and that hit me really hard," says Swain. "It's possible to consider those lyrics in that context, and that perspective helped me connect even more closely with the song. How people perceive our songs helps enrich and refresh the pieces for us as we perform them over time."

One of the elements that significantly distinguishes Bent Knee is its adventurous arrangements. Each track is a true journey. In fact, pieces like 'Eve' and 'Counselor' are so diverse they reflect an almost "songs-within-a- song" approach.

"We try not to repeat ourselves within our structures," says Kion. "If we find we're creating a pattern such as ramping into a loud section and landing in a soft section right after it twice in a row, we'll break it as soon as we notice it. We don't want to bore ourselves. We also want to surprise and intrigue listeners. We're always trying to do new things with arrangements."

"Another thing that stands out for us on Say So is that there are more dynamics within the sections of each piece," adds Levin. "On previous albums, there were huge dynamic differences between sections. You'd hear songs that alternate between quiet passages, explosions, grooves, and long builds. On Say So, within a section, you'll hear a lot more variety of loud and quiet, fullness and emptiness, ambience and dryness, and timbre changes. If you drew the dynamic arc of some of these pieces, it would look kind of like a Rorschach inkblot."

Adding to Say So's intrigue is the group's decision to record some of the album in an unconventional space.

"A friend of ours pointed us to an empty, unlocked, million-square foot industrial complex in Boston," says Baum. "We went in there to record so we could explore its unique sonic atmosphere. It felt like zombies were going to jump out anytime. It was a foreboding locale and gave the session a distinctly dark vibe. We captured some wild, reverb-drenched background vocals there."

Prior to hitting the studio, the band road-tested Say So's material at more than 50 gigs.

"It was extremely valuable to see how the pieces went over with audiences," says Swain. "Playing live also gives all six of us a comprehensive understanding of where we sit in the registers of the songs, enabling us to adjust where the instruments fit in the mix. It's also important for us to see how the lyrical motifs go over. The songs would be presented 70-80 percent finished to the audiences, leaving us with room to evolve the approach before finalizing them."

Say So is a world-class album on every level. The band collectively obsessed over every detail in its determination to set a new standard for itself and the universe of ambitious songcraft.

"We now live in a time in which pretty much anyone in the Western world has access to the vast majority of recordings online," says Welch. "So, the competition for musicians isn't just the band down the street anymore. The competition is bands as big as Radiohead. To have a shot at success you have to aim to be that good. But even that's not enough. You have to be patient and work at building up your audience like we've done for the last seven years. One of our mentors, the producer Susan Rogers, said to us 'Slow growth is real growth.' It's advice we've taken to heart across this journey."

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District 97 is undoubtedly the most musically adventurous rock band in the world to feature an American Idol Top 10 Female Finalist. The release of 2012's critically-acclaimed Trouble With Machines ushered in an exciting era for the Chicago-based Progressive Rock band; In 2013, the band toured both Europe and the US with legendary bassist and vocalist John Wetton (King Crimson/UK/Asia), which was documented on 2014's live release, One More Red Night: Live in Chicago. 2013 also saw the band nominated for a Breakthrough Artist Award by Prog Magazine. Rather than rest on their laurels, District 97 took to the studio in 2014 to record the new material they'd been honing at home and on the road. The resulting album, In Vaults (released June 2015), continues and accelerates the upward trajectory of great songwriting and incredible musicianship that's been evident since the band's 2010 debut, Hybrid Child. One listen perfectly illustrates why John Wetton says, "I've said it before, and I maintain that D97 is the best young progressive band around right now. Gifted players, great material, and a brilliant, charismatic singer in Leslie Hunt.

DISTRICT 97 was formed in the fall of 2006 by drummer Jonathan Schang, keyboardist Rob Clearfield, bassist Patrick Mulcahy and guitarist Sam Krahn (replaced in 2008 by current guitarist Jim Tashjian). The foursome from Chicago honed a no-holds barred style of Liquid Tension Experiment-inspired Instrumental Rock before deciding the right vocalist was needed to complement their sound; enter 2007 American Idol Top 10 Female Finalist, Leslie Hunt. With a look, sound and stage presence comparable to a young Ann Wilson from Heart, Leslie's dynamic performances pushed the band into a new direction that forged a unique marriage between accessible, catchy vocal melodies and an adventurous instrumental prowess. She was followed shortly thereafter by one of Chicago's finest young guitarists, Jim Tashjian. With this new blend of charisma and stellar musicianship in place, their live shows over the past several years at festivals such as RoSfest and Prog Dreams II, and numerous appearances across the USA, UK and Europe cemented the band as a force to be reckoned with onstage, as well as in the recording studio.

In August 2015, Rob Clearfield and Patrick Mulcahy left the group and were eventually succeeded by Andrew Lawrence and TIm Seisser, respectively. The new lineup will debuted in highly successful tours across Europe and the US in 2016. Currently the band is focused on writing and rehearsing new music, as well as more touring in 2017, including reuniting with John Wetton aboard Yes' Cruise to the Edge.

Terrapin Flyer is a Chicago-based Grateful Dead band whose revolving cast features top performers in the jamband scene. The band often tours with former members of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band and is one of the premier Grateful Dead inspired acts. Terrapin Flyer has headlined major festivals and prominent venues across the United States.

Jamestown Revival is a group formed by Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance. After growing tired of a life mining tiger's eye in the foothills of the Texas hill country, they hit the road to conceive a style that could be described as back-porch- folk rock.

Six-piece band Delta Rae hails from Durham, NC with Liz Hopkins and Brittany Holljes fronting the robust group with sultry harmonies rounded out by Holljes' brothers Eric (vocals, piano) and Ian (vocals, guitar) as well as Mike McKee (drums) and Grant Emerson (bass). The band chose their moniker from a mythical story the Holljes siblings' mother wrote about a Southern girl of the same name who summons the Greek gods to earth.

Headlining over 100 shows each year and a regular on the festival circuit since forming in 2009, Delta Rae's larger-than-life performances have earned coveted spots at Bonnaroo, Tortuga Music Festival, Austin City Limits, Firefly, Bumbershoot, Summerfest, Hangout Fest, Kaaboo, Basilica, VOODOO, and Lollapalooza. They have received national attention with features in NPR, Washington Post, and New York Times, in addition to late night television performances and inclusion in Forbes'30 Under 30 list.

Now signed to Big Machine Label Group's imprint The Valory Music Co., Delta Rae are on tour this summer in support of their new release, A Long And Happy Life.

Chicago-based trio, Moonrise Nation, creates music that is both heartfelt and honest, with orchestral elements and vocal hooks that reflect a measured combination of Americana roots and indie-pop drive. Growing up in Oak Park, IL, sisters Eva and Arden Bee and lifelong friend Emma McCall draw inspiration from the timeless yet revolutionary legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright and his literary contemporaries like Ernest Hemingway.

Three distinct voices not only sing their songs, but shape them. As young girls, Eva and Arden watched their parents perform in Chicago's jazz scene while learning classical and disciplined skills on keys and strings. Emma, a true rock and roll soul, begged her parents to sign her up for drum lessons after seeing a Fleetwood Mac concert and soon after picked up the guitar. These multi-instrumental talents and songwriting voices combined with variety of influences across genres and decades like Carole King, Johnny Cash, Sufjan Stevens, Lorde and Feist, contribute to a cozy yet fresh sound that is uniquely Moonrise Nation's.

Their 2014 self-titled EP, recorded under the direction of Prince and the Revolution's Bobby Z, earned them a spot touring with Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna and shows at iconic venues such as Summerfest, Electric Forest Music Festival, Lincoln Hall, First Avenue, and Stubb's. Live performances stacked with lush 3-part harmonies and textured licks on guitar, piano and cello provide an intimate listening experience. Their forthcoming debut album, "Glamour Child," produced by Stephen Shirk (best known for his live sessions with artists such as Alabama Shakes, The Lumineers, and First Aid Kit) has been more than 3 years in the making. A mature and eclectic sound with developed lyrics and bolder arrangements, "Glamour Child" represents a coming-of-age collection that deals with issues of loss, love, and discovering identities as three millennial women entering adulthood.

As a young man from Meridian, Mississippi, Steve Forbert traveled to New York City and played guitar for spare change in Grand Central Station. He vaulted to international prominence with a folk-rock hit, "Romeo's Tune," during a time when rootsy rock was fading out and the Ramones, Talking Heads and other New Wave and punk acts were moving in to the public consciousness. Still, critics raved about Steve's poetic lyrics and engaging melodies, and the crowds at CBGB's club in New York accepted him alongside those acts. "I've never been interested in changing what I do to fit emerging trends," Forbert observes. "Looking back on it, I was helping to keep a particular American songwriting tradition alive at a time when it wasn't in the spotlight."

After his first two records came a plethora of well-crafted, unforgettable songs on such albums as Little Stevie Orbit, Streets of This Town, The American in Me, Mission of the Crossroad Palms and Evergreen Boy. His tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004. In October 2012, 35 years after his first album, Steve has released an exciting new one, Over With You. Its ten fresh but mature songs pinpoint a wide range of emotions that color personal relationships -- emotions that most listeners have undoubtedly felt and struggled to understand at some point in their lives. "This is an album that has taken a lifetime to make," explains Forbert. "You don't just pull these songs out of thin air -- you have to live them."

The Skints are a band from London, UK, described by Clash Music as 'the torchbearers for modern British reggae music'. Dubbing their sound as 'music from Jamaica in a London style', The Skints mix reggae, ska and dub with touches of grime and hip-hop; a contemporary style that draws as much from the streets of the nation's capital as it does from the Caribbean. Playing hundreds of shows since 2007, The Skints have had a steady rise from the UK underground, bringing their own rays of sunshine to festivals over Europe and beyond, with even The Guardian confirming that The Skints 'brought the house down' at 2014's Reading Festival.

The Skints' latest album Part and Parcel saw them fully galvanise on their live reputation with a stunning sophomore release. Recorded with British dub vanguard Prince Fatty (Gregory Isaacs, Hollie Cook) and featuring guest vocal talents of dancehall emcee Parly B, the crowdfunded album was an instant critical hit, with Rock Sound declaring it a 'modern dub, reggae and hip-hop inspired classic'. Buoyed by the viral success of the video of their cover of Katy B's 'On a Mission' -- supported on social media by the song's original producer Benga and Katy B herself and with over 500,000 plays on YouTube -- The Skints went on to promote the release with tours with You Me At Six, Easy Star Allstars and Sublime With Rome. Winning over fans and critics along the way, their ten date headline tour of the UK sold out every venue, ending at an oversold Scala. Their ascent continued across 2013, with a sold-out London show at the 1,400 capacity Koko and the record's successful release on the Soulbeats label in France being particular highlights. A remarkable run of European festivals followed in 2014 including Reggae Sun Ska, Summerjam, Dour Festival, Reading and Leeds Festival, Chiemsee Summer, Radio 1's Big Weekend and a memorable set in the rain in front of a 10,000 strong crowd of die-hard Skints fans at Lion's Den Stage, Boomtown Fair.

Not bad going for a band who started out as friends at a culturally-mixed London school back in 2005, then teenagers knee-deep in an underground scene ruled by punk and ska music. It wasn't long before the group's record collections reached back across the history of rebel music to the likes of Johnny Clarke, Culture and The Abyssinians for altogether more rootsy inspirations. Across an EP in 2008, and début album Live, Breathe, Build, Believe in 2009, The Skints progressed from playing squats to stages and refined their identity from punk ragga urchins to become an outfit deemed 'the most accessible pure British reggae music you'll find these days' by A New Take. Tours with The Slackers, Reel Big Fish and Gym Class Heroes refined The Skints live set, embellishing their own compositions with cover versions, multi-instrumentation and uplifting, positive vibes.

After whetting the fan's appetites with the interim Short Change EP, The Skints are currently in the studio recording their third full-length. A concept album of sorts, Prince Fatty is back in the producer's chair with guests including reggae legends Tippa Irie and Horseman, and grime MC Rival. Finishing 2014 with the Jagermeister Music Tour with Me First and Gimme Gimmes - taking in Brixton Academy in the process - 2015 promises to be another heavy year for The Skints, with the new album on its way and plans of a US tour coming to fruition.

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The Tritonics write, arrange and perform original music inspired by the Jamaican roots styles of rock steady, ska and roots reggae. They also perform crucial standards of those genres by artists like Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, Toots and the Maytalls, The Heptones, Johnny Clarke, The Valentines and The Jamaicans. In addition, The Tritonics apply a unique process they've dubbed "doowopification" to rock n roll classics by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and many others. Doowopification reinterprets and revitalizes (Ital-izes!) classic rock standards, anointing them in the name of Jah with stripped down, Jamaican roots-style arrangements, one drop-centered rhythms and harmony-heavy vocals. The Tritonics Jeff Stehr, Dave Bolyard, Tom Plutshack, Dave Cusma and Glenn Asch - are committed to keeping the citizenry drinking, dancing and well informed through song.

Right from the impressive first minutes of their new album, Fates Warning proves itself to be one of those rare veteran bands capable of delivering new material as poignant and powerful as their many high points of the past. One listen to the textures, momentum, attack and emotion in "From The Rooftops," and it's apparent that the band who defined progressive metal with albums such as AwakenThe Guardian, PerfectSymmetry, Parallels and A Pleasant Shade Of Gray has plenty of new paths to travel...

Performed by the core lineup that returned to form with 2013's Darkness In A Different Light (guitarist Jim Matheos, vocalist Ray Alder, bassist Joey Vera, and drummer Bobby Jarzombek), Fates Warning's twelfth album, Theories Of Flight, is a new facet of the band's signature mix of melodic finesse, high-level performance and brooding melancholy. It even pushes the goalposts of the previous album out a bit further in each direction. Subdued parts are that much more lush, while other moments strike with ferocity not heard on a Fates album in quite some time. With the aforementioned core four providing most of the performances, occasional Fates member Frank Aresti performs guitar solos on "From The Rooftops" and "White Flag," while current touring member Michael Abdow also has a guitar solo spot on the latter tune. With hooky, melodic burners such as "Seven Stars" and "SOS" leading to the more involved "The Light And Shade Of Things," and even more light and shade beyond that, until the dramatic title track concludes the journey, Theories Of Flight's 53 minutes is definitive Fates Warning.

While Darkness... was the first album release since 2004's FWX, its own follow-up took considerably less time to emerge. "I started writing in January 2015," says guitarist and main composer Jim Matheos. "About a year after Darkness, I started gathering ideas and getting serious about it."

As for the direction Theories Of Flight, which was produced by Jim Matheos and mixed/mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Opeth, Symphony X, Haken, etc.), eventually took, Jim let his muse lead the way. "I don't usually look at it as 'what do I want to do?,' I'm usually just consumed by terror that I won't come up with anything. Whatever comes up, I'm just happy that something comes up, and I let that take me in the direction that it's going in. I don't sit down and have a specific idea of where I want to go. The beginning is always the hardest part. Once you have the first couple songs down, then a direction starts to present itself and you take it more in that direction."

Apparently it all came rushing out in a flood, evidenced by the myriad of highlights throughout Theories Of Flight. The calmer middle breakdown of "SOS" introduces a ghostly drone that changes a mysterious mood to pure dread; drummer Bobby Jarzombek's nearly inhuman dexterity in parts of "From The Rooftops" is something to behold; the samples and soundscapes within "The Ghosts Of Home" sets an almost theatrical tone for what might be the album's emotional climax, all 10-and-a-half minutes of it. The album's galvanizing, exciting, go-back-and-listen-again moments are too numerous to mention.

As main lyricist, vocalist Ray Alder had plenty of musical emotion to work with. Themes of upcoming change -- deliberate choices to take a different direction in life -- are a large part of the album's overarching themes of transience, disconnection and the search for solid ground. Alder's writing and passionate singing in "Like Stars Our Eyes Have Seen" is beautifully reflective, urging us to trust our memories, to hold onto them even as we forge into future unknowns: "See the dark road that's ahead / Lit by memories you knew / Now the ghosts begin to follow / Let it all come back to you."

Matheos's sole lyric credit is an especially personal one. "'The Ghosts Of Home' is me reflecting on how moving frequently as a child -- eight times in the first nine years of school -- affected and shaped my personality, something I've only recently been digging in to. It also references me revisiting a lot of those places as an adult. Similarly, a lot of Ray's lyrics touch on a big move or change coming for him, although by choice. So, we're both talking about various uprootings, escapes...flights."

These themes are also reflected in the cover artwork by Michigan-based artist Graceann Warn. "The working title for the album was 'The Ghosts of Home,' and the song with that name was first called 'Home Again.' When I started searching for artwork I came across the piece that's now the cover and it was called 'Theories of Flight.' In fact, the title you see on the cover is part of the original art, not something we added. I was immediately drawn to that phrase as being a better description of what some of the songs are about."

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New York City-based progressive metal band Infinite Spectrum has garnered rave notices and struck a chord with prog rock fans the world over. Closing a three-year gap since their acclaimed 2013 debut album, Misguided, INFINITE SPECTRUM's Sensory Records debut, Haunter Of The Dark is a full-length concept recording based on the short story by master of horror, H. P. Lovecraft, with the band bringing the famed short story to life through ambitious compositions featuring an abundance of dynamic, virtuosic playing, and powerful, melodic vocals. Re-teaming with Grammy award-winning engineer Chris Theis to capture their signature sound, with Haunter Of The Dark, INFINITE SPECTRUM has created a remarkable sonic journey for fans of prog both old and new. INFINITE SPECTRUM's Haunter of the Dark has been heralded in online outlets from PROG to Metal Underground and print magazines such as Rock N Roll Industries ("...completely captivating.") and Outburn ("9 out of 10"). INFINITE SPECTRUM has shared the stage with Haken, Thank You Scientist, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy, Brand X, The Fringe and many more. Combining theatrical elements with the progressive metal genre, the band has crafted their own brand of musical storytelling, which includes elements of radio-style drama for a uniquely cinematic listening experience. The music of INFINITE SPECTRUM is eclectic, innovative, and experimental in nature. Their current line-up features Will Severin (vocals), Alex Raykin (guitar), Alex Repetti (bass), Greg Schwab (drums), and Katie Pachnos (keys).

Allison Iraheta + Halo Circus is a critically-acclaimed bilingual alternative rock band, featuring its star singer Allison Iraheta. Crafting "anthems for introverts," Iraheta digs deep into dark places and transforms this anguish into lush, unforgettable melodies. Halo Circus' debut earned instant acclaim, with LA Magazine declaring, "Allison Iraheta has moved beyond reality TV, forming a group that Duran Duran bassist John Taylor called 'the best live band in the U.S.A.' Think: dark, anthemic rock with a knack for soaring hooks."

Halo Circus quickly earned a reputation for their impressive live performances, which led to a series of high profile bookings, including: The Grammys "Women Who Rock ­ Festival At Sea" with Heart, Emmylou Harris, and other iconic female singers; a four­week Friday night residency at the prestigious Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles; and "Say It Loud! A Night of Cultural Disruption" at the legendary Troubadour. Iraheta also performed on The Tonight Show, making history as the only guest vocalist to sing with the show's band for an entire week.

On February 8, 2016, Halo Circus shocked the music industry by announcing, via Billboard, the first fully crowd­sourced American tour ever to be attempted on such a large scale. Through Road Nation, the band declared that any town in America that raises $600 would get Halo Circus to play there this summer and fall. Nine weeks later, the campaign reached 100% backing by fans, making music history with the first successful US crowd­funded tour to date, with 30 cities confirmed.

Next up is the release of Halo Circus' highly anticipated debut album, Bunny, produced by Matthew Hager and mixed by multiple Grammy Award-winner Craig Bauer (Kanye West, Smashing Pumpkins). Iraheta explains, "our aim was high: play as much as possible, and try to develop a reputation as a great live band before releasing an album. Somehow along the way we learned how to play these songs to an audience and the band actually started to take on a life of its own."

She continues, "We decided to re­record what we recorded a year before. We wanted to capture the evolution of our live sound. We wanted Halo Circus to have the opportunity to record an album with the same quality and attention to detail that was given to bands in the 90's." And this band's effort for perfection is paying off. The first single off the album, "Desire (Lo Que Vale La Pena)," was downloaded 647,000 times in its first week of release in a promotion with BitTorrent Bundle. The album, entitled Bunny will be released on June 24.

For Allison Iraheta, life before and with Halo Circus is like night and day. The daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, she was raised in South Central L.A., with Spanish as her native language. She draws from her background as inspiration for Halo Circus' most popular songs: "Yo Me Voy," "All I Have," and "Desire (Lo Que Vale La Pena)."

Individually, the members of Halo Circus are veteran musicians. Prior to forming Halo Circus, bassist/keyboardist Matthew Hager was a No. 1 Billboard multi­platinum producer who crossed multiple genres working with the likes of Duran Duran, Scott Weiland, Mindi Abair, and Mandy Moore. In addition to being an accomplished Cantonese and orchestral drummer, Veronica Bellino's previous work with Jeff Beck and DMC of Run DMC has helped to shape her live performances with Halo Circus. Brian Stead is a relentless guitar aficionado who evokes energy and charisma. He is a thoughtful guitarist with his own voice, one that makes him unique. Together, the band is one unstoppable force to be reckoned with as they continue down the rabbit hole and embark on the next chapter of their sound. Iraheta concludes, "Magic happens in this band. It happened when we were writing, when we were recording, and when we were failing. The only thing that mattered was keeping it honest and getting it right, whatever that means. We may be inconvenient, but we continue to attract believers."

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Ruby Rose Fox, a vocal powerhouse of soul­-driven, edgy rock 'n' roll (with a nod to new­wave pop), whose voice threatens to knock down the walls of any room in which she performs is making 2016 her strongest year of new releases and live performances.  The Boston Herald describes Ruby Rose Fox's music as "arty, edgy rock 'n' roll that lets her be Lou Reed and Nico at the same time... [and seems] to come from another scene, another world."

In July and August 2015 Ruby Rose Fox was both the Improper Bostonian magazine's pick for Best Musician of 2015 in the "Boston's Best" issue, and featured on the cover of its 2015 "Music" issue. Ruby also took home the "Best Pop Artist," and "Best Female Vocalist" honors at the 2015 Boston Music Awards, and was named "Female Performer of the Year," by the 2016 New England Music Awards. 

In April, 2015, Ruby Rose Fox embarked on a very successful tour supporting Martha Davis and The Motels promoting the release of two new singles: Blue Angel and Good Friday. Upon return from her tour with The Motels, on June 10th, 2015, Ruby Rose Fox was the musical guest featured in a live production of WBUR/NPR's On Point Live! with Tom Ashbrook and Cheryl Strayed.

Late last Fall, Ruby Rose Fox went back to the studio, working on a fresh album in following a successful PledgeMusic campaign. 

Ruby's new album, "Domestic" was released on 5/24/2016 , and charted at #8 on Billboard's Heatseeker's (northeast) chart in its first week, and rose to #6 in its second week on the charts. The album release has been supported by 4 music videos, with more to be released before the end of 2016.

VIP TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE. Note: VIP tickets do NOT include admission to the show.

Corey Feldman is launching a very ambitious world tour starting 1 city at a time right here in the USA. This will mark the 5th time the Iconic performer has toured the United States both as a solo artist, and also with his band Truth Movement. Although Corey performed all over the US multiple times with his band over the past decade, This will be his 1st "Solo" tour in 14 years! Returning to the stage as a solo artist with the worlds most Beautiful and Angelic backing band ever created. Featuring 1 of EDMs up & coming premier DJs DJAC aka Angel Courtney Anne. This tour will also be A career spanning performance of all of his greatest solo classics, and all of the well known hits off of his newest CD (Angelic 2 The Core). 

Corey will be performing rare songs from all of his solo albums and classic originals from his film soundtrack catalogue, and covers of some of the hits from his own films, including songs off iconic motion picture film soundtracks such as Dream a Little Dream, Lost Boys, The Goonies, & more. Featuring the worlds 1st All Female Angelic Band! 

This high energy performance is packed with classic songs from 5 decades, and some of the biggest Billboard and Chart topping hits in pop culture this year. Don't miss your chance 2 witness a part of History, and become part of the experience. VIP Golden Circle Meet & Greet Experiences are available.