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Gathering of the Vibes 2011: Jane's Addiction‚ Furthur‚ moe.‚ Elvis Costello
Mike McKinley
March 14, 2011
Today the Vibes announced their 2011 lineup -- looks strong. Here's the press release:

Bridgeport‚ CT -- Gathering of the Vibes‚ the Northeast's premier summer music festival‚ announces initial lineup including: FURTHUR featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir‚ Jane's Addiction‚ Elvis Costello & The Imposters‚ moe.‚ The Levon Helm Band‚ John Butler Trio‚ Tedeschi Trucks Band‚ Dr. John and the Lower 911‚ Taj Mahal Trio‚ The Rhythm Devils with Keller Williams‚ Steve Kimock and Reed Mathis‚ Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk‚ Toots & The Maytals‚ Dark Star Orchestra‚ Ryan Montbleau Band‚ David Gans‚ Assembly of Dust‚ The McLovins‚ King for a Day and Bridgeport's own Deep Banana Blackout. The New Mastersounds‚ Big Gigantic‚ and others to headline the Late Night Stage.

The second round of artist announcements will be made within the next 2 weeks. Vibes continues its tradition of embracing new‚ undiscovered artists‚ alongside legendary performers by reviewing 2‚400 submissions via the Vibes website and Sonicbids‚ for an opportunity to perform in front of 20‚000+ music enthusiasts. Over 40 bands will perform on multiple alternating stages at Seaside Park's 370-acre beachfront venue.

"Gathering of the Vibes continues its musical evolution and remains true to our roots with this year's lineup‚" says festival founder Ken Hays.

The Vibes is an all ages‚ family friendly event‚ offering an exclusive Family Camping area‚ Kids Corner‚ and a Teen Scene that includes interactive workshops and a "Teen Vibes Stage" offering musical instruction and jam sessions with main stage artists.

For the first time‚ Vibes is offering single day VIP tickets. VIP Vibesters can look forward to rock-star parking‚ a stage-side chill tent‚ catered meals‚ snacks and beverages.

All tickets and camping passes are on sale and available now at: www.gatheringofthevibes.com.

Fans traveling to and from New York can ride the Metro North‚ Port Jefferson Ferry or return on the late night "Vibes Party Bus" with shuttle service to Penn Station‚ Grand Central Station and NY Port Authority‚ post Friday and Saturday night sets‚ departing at 3:30 a.m. Hotel packages with complimentary shuttle bus service are available at: www.gatheringofthevibes.com/hotels.

For over a decade and a half‚ Gathering of the Vibes has been a frontrunner in creating an online community whose year round support is dedicated to helping make the world a better place through charitable causes and environmental initiatives. Vibes 2011 is dedicated to the memory of Michael J. Potashnick‚ the "Voice of the Vibes‚"
co-Emcee since 2005‚ and a cherished member of the Vibes family since its inception.

Follow Gathering of the Vibes on Facebook‚ Twitter‚ and Myspace‚ or check the message boards for the most updated festival information. Listen: The Heavy Pets - "Lantern"
Mike McKinley
March 1, 2011


Check out "Lantern," the latest single from the Heavy Pets.

Lantern By The Heavy Pets‚ 2010 by Tsunami Publicity

The band is out on their "Illumination Tour" - check them out at one of these fine establishments:

March 2 - Maxwell's - Hoboken‚ NJ
March 3 - Jillian's - Albany‚ NY
March 4 - Java Barn - Canton‚ NY
March 5 - The Turtle Underground @ St. Michael's College - Colchester‚ VT
March 6 - Nectar's - Burlington‚ VT
March 9 - Brighton Music Hall - Allston‚ MA
March 10 - Westcott Theater - Syracuse‚ NY
March 11 - Old City Hall - Oswego‚ NY
March 12 - The Matterhorn - Stowe‚ VT
March 17 - The M Room - Philadelphia‚ PA
March 18 - Brooklyn Bowl - Brooklyn‚ NY
March 19 - Mojo on Main - Newark‚ DE
March 22 - Jewish Mother - Norfolk‚ VA
March 24 - Roxy's - West Palm Beach‚ FL
March 25 & 26 - Green Parrot - Key West‚ FL Five Favorite Records: Bear "Double Rainbow" Vasquez
Mike McKinley
February 28, 2011


The famous "Double Rainbow" video that Bear Vasquez made is approaching 26 millions views on YouTube. Ah, the power of nature! Check it out below.

I met Bear back in December in Burlington. He was here on business and made an appearance at Nectar's for the PhanFood book release party. So, I decided to reach out and ask him this: what are your five favorite records? Here's his response... what does it mean?!

1. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV


2. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon


3. Beethoven - Beethoven's 9th Symphony


4. Oingo Boingo - Nothing to Fear


Toss up…
5. Queen - A Night At the Opera or The Smiths - Meat is Murder





Video: Apollo Sunshine - "Lord"
Mike McKinley
February 24, 2011
I just came across this video of Apollo Sunshine ripping up "Lord" (shot by Billy LeRoux) from the Green Living Festival in 2006 at the Egg in Albany‚ NY. State of Mind helped promote the event and as it turned out the room was a lot bigger than needed‚ but it sounded so great. Apollo Sunshine was on fire that day‚ playing one of the best sets I've ever seen them play. Glad to see this surface.

Listen: "Scarlet-->Fire" from Grateful Dead Road Trips Vol. 4 No.2
Mike McKinley
February 10, 2011
Grateful Dead Road Trips Vol. 4 No. 2 is now available -- pick it up here.

Here's a tasty sample (and read below for more info on the release):

"Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain" - 3/31/88
Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain by gratefuldead




Dead.net Continues Grateful Dead Road Trips Series With Vol. 4 No. 2 - Three-Disc Set Chronicles Two Nights At Brendan Byrne Arena In East Rutherford‚ NJ On March 31/April 1‚ 1988

Dead.net‚ the official Grateful Dead web site and online store‚ continues its exclusive Road Trips series in 2011 with its fourth volume. Issuing quarterly in February‚ May‚ August and November‚ Road Trips puts a spotlight on different tours and series of shows and includes rarities from the deepest corners of the vault and many rare and never-before-seen photographs. Each three-disc set is showcased in a beautifully designed booklet that contains an essay about how the music on the discs fits into the Dead's long history.

Road Trips Vol.4 No. 2 [$23.98] offers up the entire April 1‚ 1988 concert from the Brendan Byrne Arena (called "the Meadowlands" at the time) in East Rutherford‚ NJ‚ plus the entire second set and a few first set highlights from the previous night's performance (the middle show of a three-night stand). The April Fools' show is a real barn-burner‚ with a first set that includes a "double-opener" of high-octane versions of "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" and "Jack Straw‚" a rare and nearly perfect take on "To Lay Me Down" (played for just the second time since 1983)‚ followed directly by the second (and final) Grateful Dead-only version of Bob Dylan's "Ballad Of A Thin Man." Disc Three contains Set Two from April 1st.

A few nuggets from the 3/31/88 first set are tucked onto the back side of Disc One‚ including a superb "Let It Grow‚" and then that night's second set fills Disc Two with classics including "Scarlet Begonias‚" "Fire On The Mountain‚" "Terrapin Station‚" "Dear Mr. Fantasy‚" the coda of The Beatles "Hey Jude‚" and a rendition of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" before an encore with another Dylan tune‚ "Knockin' On Heaven's Door". All selections are previously unissued recordings except "Ballad Of A Thin Man‚" which appeared on Postcards Of The Hanging‚ a compilation album by the Grateful Dead consisting entirely of Bob Dylan covers.

Beginning with its inaugural release in November 2007‚ the Road Trips series of albums is the successor to Dick's Picks and are created using two-track soundboard recordings. The production of the CDs is supervised by vault archivist David Lemieux‚ with mastering by sound engineer Jeffrey Norman. Like the later Dick's Picks‚ the Road Trips albums are released in HDCD (High Definition Compatible Digital) format.

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