Friday, May 18, 2012

Crowfield honors Johnny Diamond with new album

The band celebrates with two CD release shows at the Windjammer

Posted by T. Ballard Lesemann on Fri, May 18, 2012 at 7:15 AM

Crowfield, 2012
Charleston pop-rock quintet Crowfield has a new studio album in hand titled The Diamond Sessions. It follows a self-produced, self-titled studio album released last summer. The band named the new album in honor of late promoter/manager Johnny Diamond.

“The titled is for someone who was very dear to us and instrumental in our music and careers,” says lead singer/guitarist Tyler Mechem. “He was the first person to take a chance on us five years ago. He was a great champion of our music every day after that.” In 2010, Crowfield signed with Universal Records and the William Morris Endeavor Agency, but the record deal was short-lived. “When we got dropped by Universal last year, Johnny was there, making sure it didn’t break up the band or dampen our spirits,” Mechem says.”

Through a recent Kickstarter.com campaign, the band raised nearly $20,000 to finance The Diamond Sessions. Mechem and his bandmates already have a busy touring schedule in the summer and fall. Mechem, guitarist Micah Nichols, bassist Ethan Ricks, keyboardist Whitt Algar, and drummer Parker Gins recorded the album over the winter and spring at Black Dog Studios in Atlanta with acclaimed engineer Rick Beato.

The band will celebrate the release of the 12-song collection with a two-night stint at the Windjammer on June 22-23 with support from N.C. band American Aquarium and other guests. Visit crowfieldmusic.com for more.

Topics: Local Bands

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Friday, May 11, 2012

Band of Horses record new album

A summer tour with My Morning Jacket is on the way, too

Posted by T. Ballard Lesemann on Fri, May 11, 2012 at 9:16 AM

Band of Horses
Indie act Band of Horses — a collective of Carolinians led by main songwriter and /guitarist vocalist Ben Bridwell — have been working on their fourth album in a studio with acclaimed producer Glyn Johns. A veteran British studio wiz, Johns was recently inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame in recognition of his work with the Beatles, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, the Clash, and many others.

Band of Horses issued Infinite Arms, in 2010 and earned rave reviews and acclaim. Bridwell and the band head down to two major music festivals in Brazil this month before gearing up for a massive North American summer tour with My Morning Jacket. The trip begins in Colorado on Aug. 8 at the Red Rocks Amphitheater with support from Trombone Shorty.

The closest the MMJ/Horses tour will get to Charleston will be on Fri. Aug. 24 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Atlanta, Ga.; on Sat. Aug. 25 at the Time Warner Amphitheater in Charlotte, N.C.; and on Sun. Aug. 26 at the Raleigh Amphitheater in Raleigh, N.C.

Visit bandofhorses.com and mymorningjacket.com for more.

Listen to "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" with MMJ featuring Ben Bridwell.

Topics: Local Bands

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Saturday, May 5, 2012

Megan Jean and the KFB release music video

The local duo hooks up with PBS in Bristol, Tenn.

Posted by T. Ballard Lesemann on Sat, May 5, 2012 at 6:30 AM

Road warrior musical duo Megan Jean and the KFB have toured heavily through the Southeast this year, but somehow they found time to film and edit a new music video, their first-ever.

One of the scenes from the video or These Bones
  • c/o Megan Jean and the KFB
  • One of the scenes from the video or "These Bones"

Singer/guitarist/percussionist Megan Jean and her bandmate/husband, bassist/banjo player Byrne Klay, shot the clip for a new track titled “These Bones” in April while in Bristol, Tenn., where they were interviewed and filmed for an upcoming episode of PBS’s Music Voyager. Pix and PR/A Ryno Production edited the video for “These Bones” for the duo. "Them Bones" is one of the songs featured on a forthcoming studio album titled The Devil Herself.

“We are still on our never-ending tour,” Megan Jean reported this week. “We’ve played 300 shows since we started it in March, and we have no plans on slowing down. Things are going very well. At this point, 16 hours in the car just feels like another day at the office.”

Megan Jean and the KFB headline the Pour House on Fri. May 25. Visit meganjean.net for more.

Topics: Local Bands

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Friday, May 4, 2012

Rocky Horror releases his first full-length

A CD release show is solid at the Tin Roof

Posted by T. Ballard Lesemann on Fri, May 4, 2012 at 10:20 AM

Rocky Horror
Charleston DJ and producer Rocky Horror released an independent, 10-song electronic album on May 1 titled May Day. The veteran turntablist and studio wiz engineered and mixed all of the tracks in his home studio. Guest performers include local rapper Righchus and local vocalists Rachel Kate Gillon and Joel T. Hamilton.

Rocky Horror took the trophy for Electronic Artist of the Year at the City Paper Music Awards in October. His tunes and remixes are available through Soundcloud. May Day is available at iTunes and Amazon as well. Fans can find copies of May Day at the Tin Roof on Fri. May 18, when Rocky Horror hosts a CD release party with live performances by Gillon, Mechanical River, and special guest DJ Joycette (Rocky Horror’s colleague in the musical project Holy Blood).

Visit rhclubmusic.com for more.

Topics: Local Bands

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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Luke Cunningham hits the road and studio

The songwriter tracks a special session at Charleston Sound and more

Posted by T. Ballard Lesemann on Sun, Apr 29, 2012 at 9:44 AM

Luke Cunningham
Local songwriter Luke Cunningham will track five new songs at Charleston Sound in Mt. Pleasant on Thurs. May 3 for the Bridge at 105.5, which plans to broadcast the music and an interview on Fri. May 18 as part of a 30-minute special. It's just one of many events on Cunningham's busy schedule this season.

He released his debut solo album Heart Pressure over the winter, and some of his recent recordings were picked up for Animal Planet’s show Rescue Vet. He plans to hit the road later this spring. Cunningham and his backing band — guitarist/producer Micah Nichols, drummer Ben Scott, and bassist Christian Wood — will perform a spring/summer tour kick-off show at the Midtown Bar and Grill on Fri. May 25 with support from John Wesley Satterfield.

Their homecoming show will be opening for Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ on Fri. June 29 at the Party at the Point finale at the Charleston Harbor Resort. Visit lukecunninghammusic.com for more.

Topics: Local Bands

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