The Orange Peel Events

of Montreal plus Deep Cotton

MONDAY, AUGUST 2nd -

The brainchild of singer/guitarist Kevin Barnes, of Montreal was among the second wave of bands to emerge from the sprawling Elephant 6 collective. A native of Athens, Georgia, Barnes formed the group following a failed romance with a woman from Montreal. After several moves to various cities and states, Barnes again found himself living in Athens. Once back home, he began collaborating with bassist/vocalist Bryan Poole (Elf Power) and drummer/vocalist Derek Almstead (Circulatory System). Together they recorded Cherry Peel, the band's debut album, released by Bar/None in 1997 (and later re-issued in late 1999, remixed and with additions by the later five-piece version of the band).

Patton Oswalt - Two Shows!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6th -

Patton Oswalt has been headlining at comedy clubs all over the United States since 1996, as well as appearing in his own standup specials on Comedy Central and HBO. He was chosen as Entertainment Weekly's 'It' comedian in 2002. He is a regular on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien.' His other television credits include appearances in 'Seinfeld' and 'NewsRadio.' As a writer, Oswalt spent two seasons on 'Mad TV' and has also written for the MTV Music Video Awards. He is currently writing screenplays and has appeared in the feature films 'Starsky & Hutch,' 'Man on the Moon' and 'Magnolia.'

The Crystal Method

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7th -

L.A.'s Crystal Method have been referred to as America's answer to the Chemical Brothers. A dance-based electronic duo with a definite rock band feel, the comparison would seem appropriate, although it tends to erase what makes the group distinct: a solid base in American hip-hop, rock, soul, and pop. Formed in 1993 by Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland, Crystal Method is the most recent stop in a string of projects that led them from their native Las Vegas (and some forgettable four-track stabs at vocal house music), to the early-'90s L.A. rave scene. Drawn in by its youthful idealism, Jordan and Kirkland became absorbed by L.A.'s underground club culture and began knocking out tracks inspired by their experiences. On the strength of one of their demos, Crystal Method signed to Steve Melrose and Justin King's City of Angels imprint in 1994, and their debut single, 'Keep Hope Alive,' appeared soon after. The title was in reference to L.A.'s waning rave scene (burdened by constant police pressure and a string of random violent incidents) and became something of an anthem due to the endless barrage of remixes and alternate versions that appeared. The pair's demand to be taken seriously as a band (as opposed to the enforced anonymity of most techno acts, and something of a new concept for American dance producers) extended to incessant live performances, and Crystal Method's increasing popularity both in the clubs and among radio jocks led to a deal with Geffen affiliate Outpost Recordings in 1996. The group's debut LP, Vegas -- an unabashed party record bathed in acid, funk, rock, and big beat hip-hop -- appeared in mid-1997 and sold very well. The follow-up Tweekend was released four years later, and the duo inaugurated a series of mix albums (Community Service) in 2002. Third album Legion of Boom followed in 2004.

Built To Spill plus Finn Riggins

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8th -

Three and a half years in the making, the efforts of writing and recording There Is No Enemy led Built to Spill founder Doug Martsch to wonder whether this would be the last album he ever makes. As his wife, I watched him work, pouring hour after hour, day after day into writing. Song lyrics were labored over then thrown in the trash, guitar parts revised again (and again). A musician and artist like Doug edits far more than he keeps. For over twenty years, Doug Martsch has been writing and recording music. Built to Spill members Brett Nelson (bass), Scott Plouf (drums) Jim Roth (guitar), and Brett Netson (guitar) have all been musicians for two decades. That adds up to more than a century. Doug's strong aesthetic combines with the band members' mix of approaches to create an aural topography. Doug sets course and navigates. Each member of Built to Spill comes to the music with a different set of expectations and ideals.

Justin Moore plus Eric Paslay

TUESDAY, AUGUST 10th -

When Justin Moore found himself homesick and missing his mother's Southern cooking after moving to Nashville several years ago to pursue his musical dream, he was inspired to write 'Small Town USA,' an ode to the spirit and simplicity of small-town life. 'A lot of people called it prison when I was growin' up/But these are my roots and this is what I love,' sings Justin about Poyen, Ark. Justin knew he had to record the song because it succinctly captured the upbringing that shaped him both as an artist and as a man, but he wasn't sure if the autobiographical song would speak to those from different backgrounds. 'Thank God I was wrong,' he says. The fast-rising song has become a Top 15 hit and established Justin as one of 2009's break-out country artists, garnering attention from People, The Washington Post and Billboard. The singer-songwriter landed coveted spots on tours with Trace Adkins, Hank Williams Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd and opened for Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and ZZ Top. 'Moore's take on the (small-town) theme is clearly resonating with country music fans,' states The Washington Post. During this time of corporate greed and economic uncertainty, his music is a timely reminder of what's truly important in life.

Here Come The Mummies plus Space Capone

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12th -

Over 5000 years ago, from the dry stretches of the not-so-fertile crescent wandered a nomadic, foul smelling people. A robust, well-endowed, and manly tribe, they were united through ancient rituals involving instruments capable of infinite fonkiness and overt sekshul innuendo. The Pharaoh, a mean mother (shutcho' mouth), hated the nomads and their ability to shred like a mofo all up in that biatch. But more than that, he hated the power of their righteous grooving to make drop the tunics of his five luscious teenage daughters. One night, the Pharaoh found the nomads dressed as mummies and creating grooves in an effort to compromise the moral integrity of his five daughters. The angry Pharaoh cursed the nomads (already conveniently dressed as mummies) with a spell so vile, that seeing its name in print here would make your eyes melt and flow freely from their sockets. Already doomed, these nomads fled into the night, at last finding refuge in the abandoned caves of the Unleavened Jews. But when the sun rose the following morning, the Pharoah's curse had taken hold, and these were men no more. For years, scholars of the ancient world wondered what became of this group. Theories citing the Mummies' involvement in historical events from the Siege of Troy to the sacking of Rome, the fall of Pompeii and the sinking of Atlantis were initially scoffed at and dismissed as parlor quackery. However, in 1922, at a dig in the desert south of Tunis, Professor Nigel Quentin Fontenelle Dumblucke IV unearthed the ruins of an ancient discotheque and found a dozen stank-ass fonky mummies still all up in the act of rockin' tha hizouse. From these mummies, Professor Dumblucke learned of the powerful curse that doomed them to wander the earth throughout eternity, seeking the ultimate riff, the one that would allow these souls to finally rest after 5000 years of banging out solid fly grooves. To quote the Professor: 'In their desperate quest for immortal peace, they rocked all the ancient empires of Earth on down to the grizound. They rocked Atlantis so hard, y'all, it ain't never been found'. And now they're coming to rock your town with a funk so strong, it's gonna make all the cats explode. Strap in.

Abbey Road Live

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13th -

Since 2002, Abbey Road LIVE! has been rocking the music of the Beatles at clubs, theatres, festivals, and private events. Initially a tribute to the monumental 'Abbey Road' album, the band has expanded its scope to include more than 100 Beatles tunes, from all eras of the Fab Four's career. The band specializes in complete, start-to-finish album performances of masterpieces such as 'Abbey Road', 'Magical Mystery Tour' and 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band'. Abbey Road LIVE! is not your typical Beatle look-alike tribute act; don't expect mop-top haircuts and vintage Rickenbacker guitars. Rather, this show is about bringing to life some of the more mature and complex Beatles material in a raw & spirited fashion, while remaining true to the original recordings. Combining attention to detail with a creative exuberance, the band always delights its audiences with its diverse repertoire of hits and more obscure favorites.

Dan Zanes & Friends

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14th -

Here are two things you should know right off about Dan Zanes, two things that set him apart from the huge and festive field of people who have in the past few years begun making music for families and people of all ages in a way that is, frankly, changing the face of America, or the sound of it, at least. First, he is making homemade family music and encouraging similar behaviors in friends and neighbors. Second, he is the guy who is always interested in singing along with people, people everywhere. Which brings us to his mission, if you can call it a mission: Zanes is introducing his musical friends to his neighborhood friends and then showing everybody not just that they, yes, can play together but that they can also feel pretty good while doing so. In this sense, Zanes is a twenty-first century version of the guy who in the old days used to conduct the town band from the gazebo, though in lieu of a gazebo he's playing places like Carnegie Hall and the Melbourne International Arts Festival, where no matter how you say it good music is good. He is a ringmaster, introducing new songs and reconnecting people to songs that have always been there, and still are�it's just that people forgot about them.

Edwin McCain plus Taylor Moore

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20th -

Taking the stage for what's easily the 100th time in almost as many days, Edwin McCain casually joins his band as they start off another set that's impossibly tight and laid back at the same time. By the time his vocals kick in, it's clear that this is no ordinary troubadour on the club circuit. This is Edwin McCain, the voice that is romance incarnate, has launched a thousand marriages and stirred up Southern soul for over 20 years. For the guy who always dreamed of a life on the road, Edwin's massive pop hits 'I'll Be' and 'I Could Not Ask For More' were like pulling into glamorous, exciting towns along his never-ending tour. They were life changing and sent him off with incredible memories and nifty souvenirs but were always just a part of the journey, not the destination. 'I've been lucky enough to experience a pretty broad range of stardom, and the lack thereof, throughout my journey as a musician,' he once said with a chuckle. 'I've been on television shows and won awards, but I've also lived in the back of a truck, and I've even worked the Drive-Thru at Krispy Kreme singing wedding songs.' Surprising to him more than anyone else, those very songs have endured beyond all wildest expectations, turning into wedding anthems and misty-eyed soundtracks to countless wedding proposals. Over a million Dr. Phil viewers voted 'I'll Be' as the best wedding song ever written, the New York Times dubbed him the 'great American romantic,' and at any given moment on this very day a radio station in America is playing one of his songs.

Kings Of Prussia plus Dissever & The Campaign 1984

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21st

TEDxNGA - a Youth Driven TEDx Event for Asheville

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28th -

They are the next generation ofthinkers, artists, scientists, social activists and entrepreneurs. Applying their creativity, wisdom and innovative thinking, these young leaders are dreaming of new possibilities and putting their ground-breaking ideas into action. August 28th, 2010, a dynamic group of teens will present their ideas for the future to an audience ready to be inspired at the first ever TEDxNextGenerationAsheville (TEDxNGA). This interactive, multi-media event will be an opportunity for growth, learning and fun for our entire community and a springboard to action.

TEDxAsheville 2010

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29th -

Mix your favorite mind-blowing lecture in college with a concert, a night out downtown and 'Last American Man' Eustace Conway (subject of a biography by 'Eat Pray Love' author Elizabeth Gilbert), add a local focus, and you've got TEDxAsheville, where smart is sexy and great ideas are the name of the game. Musician Billy Jonas, chef/entrepreneur Laurey Masterton and filmmaker Angela Shelton join a sprinkling of breathtaking local performance talent for a conference event full of fun for your head, inspiration, excitement and ideas worth spreading. This event is not being organized by the TED conferences � this is an independently organized TED event.

Tegan and Sara

MONDAY, AUGUST 30th -

Folk-rock duo Tegan and Sara first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 1998, when they earned the highest score in history at Calgary's 'Garage Warz' competition; their quick rise didn't stop, for their melodic acoustics and charming stage personas led to a slew of dates with Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair that same year and a record deal with Neil Young's Vapor Records in April 2000. Natives of Calgary, these twin sisters transpired their music interests from the likings of their parents. Tegan and Sara began playing piano at age eight, and in their teens they were skanking around in their own punk bands. This Business of Art, which was produced by singer/songwriter Hawksley Workman, marked their debut in mid-2000, and a summer tour with Neil Young and the Pretenders followed in July. Two years later, Tegan and Sara released If It Was You, and So Jealous hit shelves in 2004. In 2007, Tegan sang backup on a song on new Sire labelmate Against Me!'s album New Wave, and the twins, who had by then moved far from the singer/songwriter mold and were more interested in exploring pop, punk, and indie rock, came out with the Christopher Walla (of Death Cab)-produced The Con. Working with Walla went well and the duo utilized his production skills on their next album as well. Sainthood was released in October of 2009.

Stockholm Syndrome

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd -

Stockholm Syndrome is made up of an all-star cast. When Widespread Panic bass player Dave Schools and acclaimed singer/songwriter Jerry Joseph of the Jackmormons decided to collaborate, each initially thought the side project would be a cool, if temporary, change of pace. With one studio album released, a new studio album set for release in early 2010 and multiple tours behind them, Stockholm Syndrome has transcended being just a side project. Stockholm Syndrome is a band. The band's unusual choice for a name, Stockholm Syndrome, refers to the psychological phenomenon in which a hostage bonds with his kidnappers. It seemed an apt moniker for the pair's somewhat convoluted relationship. Now all Schools and Joseph needed was a band. They put together their 'Dream Team' including Eric McFadden (a San Francisco-based guitarist who has worked with Keb Mo', Les Claypool and George Clinton's P-Funk All Stars), Danny Louis (an Upstate NY based keyboard virtuoso widely known for his role in Gov't Mule and Cheap Trick) and drummer Wally Ingram (an L.A.-based drummer who has worked with Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman and David Lindley). All three musicians were on board and are now back for more live dates, an in-store recording for release and a pending studio album.

Xavier Rudd & Izintaba plus Good Old War

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7th -

Much like the ascending Koonyum Sun ushers in a new day in New South Wales, the record of the same name by world son Xavier Rudd carries a similar aura of refreshment, of rebirth. From 2002's To Let, his first studio album, through to 2007's White Moth, Rudd gradually refined his globally-influenced collage of world music � a matchless mixture of reggae, funk, blues, folk, and nearly every other sort of song with the ability to stimulate people's spirits. With 2008's Dark Shades of Blue, though, the world was welcomed into a darker, more somber side of Rudd's music. The album was indeed musically rich, with an international influence still inherent; however, the overall aura carried a different tinge compared to that of his previous work. As he explains it, his musical output at that time may have been a slight glimpse of what was soon to come.

NeedToBreathe plus Matthew Mayfield

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th -

'We're from a small town in South Carolina called Possum Kingdom,' NeedToBreathe frontman Bear Rinehart explains when asked about the place he and his younger brother/co-writer Bo were raised. 'Trust me - there was absolutely no music scene there.' And, though he makes light of it, the relative isolation that came with growing up in such an environment must have played some part in fostering the independent-minded approach the Rinehart boys would later bring to their band. In this way, it makes perfect sense that NeedToBreathe's third album is called The Outsiders' and listening to the anthemic title track that opens the 14-song collection, it's clear that they embrace this label as both a badge of honor and a battle cry. The sons of an Assembly of God pastor, Bear and Bo Rinehart had inherited their father's gift with words, and put it to good use in their songwriting; their mother taught piano, making music a constant part of their young lives. Formed in 1999, NeedToBreathe (with childhood friends Joe Stillwell and Seth Bolt) built an impressive regional following, playing throughout the Southeast. Along the way, they sold more than 15,000 copies of their self-released EP's, recorded by Seth, who had earned a degree in record engineering. 2006 saw the release of the band's major label debut, Daylight, and a relentless, national touring schedule. Despite being on the road nearly non-stop, NeedToBreathe returned the following year with The Heat, which went to #2 on the Heatseekers chart and spawned the hit single 'More Time,' a top 10 success at Triple-A radio (sitting alongside established artists like Coldplay and Jack Johnson). The group's penchant for capturing a poignant moment or eliciting an emotion with their music is evidenced by the numerous songs from each of their albums that have appeared in film and television, including the Hilary Swank-starring, motion picture P.S. I Love You and MTV's 'The Hills,' among many others.

Broken Social Scene plus The Wooden Birds

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th -

Broken Social Scene will be releasing their new, as-yet-untitled album on May 4th, 2010 on Arts & Crafts. Co-produced by the band and Tortoise's John McEntire at Soma Studios in Chicago, with additional recording at Giant Studio and The Schvitz Studio in Toronto, the new album is the follow up to their acclaimed self-titled record, released in 2005. Founded ten years ago by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, Broken Social Scene very quickly established themselves as one of the most vital voices in independent music. Assembled by Drew, and made up of an assortment of musical friends, lovers, and strangers, the band emerged fully-formed from their hometown of Toronto in 2002. They were an instantly engaging energetic entity: a tightly-knit community bursting at the seams with talent, personalities, songs and many, many guitars. Their albums � which were recently regaled on many 'Best of the Decade' lists for the 00's � were cinematic, critically-acclaimed splashes of concept and melody, marrying a dizzying onslaught of sounds with finely-crafted choruses. The band's ability to weave a plethora of voices, specific genre elements, and varied instrumentation into a postmodern aural pastiche launched them instantly onto the international stage. Between 2002 and 2009, Broken Social Scene was seemingly everywhere, touring from Mexico City to Moscow, winning Juno Awards, scoring acclaimed films like Half Nelson, making multiple appearances on late-night television shows, and more. Live, their shows were notoriously epic, cathartic affairs, sometimes lasting over three hours � the result of just wanting to keep playing. They made their own videos, created their own art work, and simply looked like they were probably having more fun together than any other band out there. As a group, or on their own, Broken Social Scene's members released some of the 00's most notable independent albums, predominantly from under the umbrella of their own label, Arts & Crafts, cementing their status as one of Canada's most important musical exports.

Tortoise plus Greg Davis & Ben Vida

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th -

The great majority of artists spend their formative years, if not their entire careers, working to shake off the gravitational pull of their predecessors, and the many masters and masterpieces that came before them. Rare indeed is the artist who outgrows their early influences, and instead become one of the markers by which other groups are measured. Almost alone among bands of the last two decades, Tortoise is a group that resists easy metaphors and analogies, who can be described as sounding like only themselves and no one else. Twenty years after its founding, the band's signature and singularly inimitable sound-a fluid intersection of dub, dance, jazz, techno, rock, and classical minimalism, with no part overwhelming or dominating the whole-remains an American and international original. Even more unusually, they seem to have arrived at their sound with almost no apprenticeship to speak of; to judge from their early singles and albums alone, they seem to have come into being with their musical identity and DNA fully formed, like Athena from the forehead of Zeus. Further, while the group has spawned countless imitators, heirs, and followers-sincere, flattering, and otherwise-Tortoise remains unique in the world of contemporary music for their boundless intellectual curiosity, their unmistakable compositional voice, and their synthesis of seemingly contradictory sound worlds far from their doorstep.

Rock Academy Annual Benefit Concert

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th -

Come join us for an afternoon of music. Four concerts for the price of one! The 2010 annual Benefit Concert for the Asheville Music School ROCK ACDEMY. The show will feature our POP Girlz, the adult rock class (SHOP TALK) and our main event, the Rock Academy's (The ORIGINALS) . Special guest appearance, the fantastic and popular local group 'CAROLINA REX' playing some hot Texas Blues featuring the RA's Assistant Director Alec Fehl will close the show. This is a not to be missed event and a fundraiser for the AMS ROCK ACDEMY. There will be a raffle with many fantastic prizes offered throughout the afternoon. The Rock Academy was established in 2009 By Asheville Music Schools Founder, Anne Coombs. All proceeds will go to Student Scholarships and expenses for the Rock Academy. Come out and enjoy a fabulous day of music and fun!

Josh Phillips Folk Festival

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th -

With a message that is positive, sincere, and honest, Josh Phillips Folk Festival has been gaining a veritable army of fans that range from the youngest musical listeners, to seasoned long time traditional music fans. With the release of their first studio album, Wicker, Phillips has truly provided a strong testament to his ability to effortlessly capture generations worth of musical evolution, and traverse years of cultural dilution, bringing the listener back to the very source of roots, folk, soul, r & b, rock and reggae.

Dark Star Orchestra

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th -

Dark Star Orchestra's shows are built off the extensive catalog of the Grateful Dead. On any given night the band will perform a show based on a set list from the Grateful Dead's 30 years of extensive touring or use the catalog of original songs and often played covers to create a unique set list for the show. This allows music fans both young and old to share in the experience. Dark Star Orchestra presents its critically acclaimed live show at esteemed venues from coast to coast and internationally. Grateful Dead classics are performed in the same way that an orchestra interprets music of classical composers. The composer spirit is derived and channeled as the players capture the excitement and innovation of the original performances and compositions. Touring nationwide for eleven years to the tune of over 1700 shows since forming, the band's determined commitment to 'raising the Dead' has drawn national media attention.

The Black Keys plus The Whigs - SOLD OUT

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th -

The Akron, Ohio-based duo The Black Keys is well known for its concentrated, hermetic approach to recording, hunkering down with rudimentary equipment in an unfinished basement or commandeering the floor of a vacant local rubber factory to create terse but soulful rock that seems to have time-traveled into the pair's amps from some long-ago radio show. But guitarist-vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney now admit they were ready for a change of scene-as well as some company. So when they got the opportunity to work with Grammy Award-nominated producer-musician-provocateur Danger Mouse, a/k/a Brian Burton (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, The Grey Album), they agreed, for the first time, to leave their familiar environs.

Billy Bragg plus Darren Hanlon

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th -

Billy Bragg was recently described by The Times newspaper as a 'national treasure'. In the two decades of his career Bragg has certainly made an indelible mark on the conscience of British music, becoming perhaps the most stalwart guardian of the radical dissenting tradition that stretches back over centuries of the country's political, cultural and social history.

Shooter Jennings & Heirophant plus The Band Of Heathens

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th -

Black Ribbons is the latest release of Shooter's newest project 'Hierophant', a dystopian concept album featuring Stephen King as Will O' The Wisp, a anarchist DJ in his last hour of broadcast before the airwaves become overtaken by government censorship. A departure from the 'country' sound of Shooter's previous records, this album stands alone as more of an 'audio movie' than a collection of songs to be taken individually. Along with the album, Shooter personally programmed The World of Black Ribbons, a scavenger-hunt type game that leads players through the environment of the album and rewards those who finish it with some very special treats. Each physical CD copy of 'Black Ribbons' contains an Archetype Card (1 of 6 collector cards featuring the different archetype titles taken from Carol S. Pearson's book 'The Hero Within'). At each headlining show along the 'Black Ribbons' tour, Shooter will assign a number to the show. If you have the correct card at the show, you and a friend can come backstage afterwards and hang with Shooter and the boys! Each show's card assignment will be in the tour section as well as on facebook.

Chrisette Michele

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19th -

It has been two years since sultry voiced singer Chrisette Michele released her stunning gold-certified debut I Am. Blessed with a gorgeous instrument and described as a 'soulful songbird' by Entertainment Weekly, the Long Island native proved to the world that she could live up to the hype. Nominated for a BET Award for Best New Artist as well as two Grammys, I Am was both a critical success and a fans delight. Still, when it came time to begin recording her follow-up, the aptly titled Epiphany, she realized the need to challenge herself. 'I felt like I was a little too shy and laidback my first time out,' confesses Chrisette. 'On my new project I wanted to raise the bar and step-out of my comfort zone. I wanted to make songs that were more edgy, youthful and urban.' Recruiting talented collaborators that include Ne-Yo, the singer/songwriter has infused her jazz vocal style with more pop. Marking a transition away from her traditional leanings to a fuller integration of hip-hop soul, Chrisette Michele was clearly conscious of the next level. Yet, as can clearly be heard on her newest single 'Epiphany (I'm Leaving),' the 26-year-old has expanded her musical palette.

Jamie Lidell

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st -

Jamie Lidell is known for layering tracks made with his voice into a microphone and performing the percussion and melody as a sequenced, beatboxing one-man band. Then over his augmented voices, he sings soul-inspired songs. This exercise makes for energetic live performances. Lidell has become renowned for his diverse range of genre-exploration. Following the release of his latest album, JIM, Lidell commented, 'I want it to be about music, I think every musician does'. But I think inevitably it ends up becoming about personality, which is what gives rise to the music, so people want to make sure that they get a bit of both. The more things do well, the more people want to know why it does well. Jamie Lidell has been shocking audiences for the past three years with his extraordinary live shows; which careen from glitzy Funkadelic extravaganza to hard electronic avant-garde showpieces. He was top draw at Sonar (Barcelona) and Ether Festivals (London) of recent years, performing at Ether juxtaposed with the London Sinfonietta, a bill that has toured to sold out coliseums and major performance houses across Europe.

Jimmy Eat World plus Civil Twilight

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd -

Once a trailblazing name in the mid-'90s emocore scene, Jimmy Eat World steadily rose to national prominence by embracing a blend of alternative rock and power pop that targeted the heart as well as the head. While the band's influence widened considerably with 1999's Clarity -- an album that has since emerged as a landmark of the emo genre -- it was the band's self-produced follow-up (specifically the infectious single 'The Middle') that crowned them as major figures in commercial rock. The emo label proved difficult to shake throughout the 2000s, even when subsequent albums Futures and Chase This Light did little to evoke the hard-edged sensitivity of Clarity, but Jimmy Eat World nevertheless remained a league above the generation of emocore torch-bearers they'd helped influence.

Ghostland Observatory

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd -

Ghostland Observatory is not a band, but an agreement between two friends to create something that not only heals their beat-driven hearts, but pleases their rock 'n roll souls. Taking the working man's approach, Ghostland Observatory spend countless hours in their south Austin studio. They have released two albums in less than a year, and have moved audiencesfrom coast to coast with their live performances and unique style. Ghostland Observatory is the duo of front man Aaron Behrens and producer/drummer Thomas Turner. Behrens' vocal style and stage performancesare unique and uncompromising, and he has drawn early comparisons to Freddie Mercury and Prince. Turner is heavily infl uenced by electronic artists such as Daft Punk, Laurent Garnier and Green Velvet, as well as rockers such as The Animals, David Bowie, and The Clash. With their spectral blend of electronics, drums, guitar and vocals, they have emerged with a sound that is the culmination of past infl uence and present inspiration, and can only be described as BALLSY.

Aimee Mann

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24th -

From her work in the 80's with MTV favorite Til Tuesday through her acclaimed solo discs 'Whatever' and 'I'm With Stupid' in the 90s, Aimee Mann has always been at the forefront of contemporary songwriters. The close of the millennium brought her greatest success, with the simultaneous releases of Bachelor No. 2 and the soundtrack to the film Magnolia, which garnered nominations for an Oscar, a Golden Globe and three Grammys. After a decade in which her music often took a backseat to corporate mergers and contractual obligations, the message was clear: Aimee Mann is here to stay. From 'Voices Carry' to the Oscar-nominated 'Save Me,' Mann has always been known for her clever, literate, and dryly witty takes on emotional sabotage and self-destruction. Though happily married to Michael Penn (with whom she has toured extensively in a double-billed 'Acoustic Vaudeville'), her fascination continues with 'the freaks who could never love anyone.' With a songcraft often compared with the Beatles and Badfinger, Mann frequently pairs the bleakest of poetry with soaring, infectious melodies.

The Hold Steady

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th -

The Hold Steady recently put the finishing touches on 'Heaven Is Whenever,' their new album set for release May 4th on Vagrant Records and May 3rd on Rough Trade in the UK and EU. The album was produced by Dean Baltulonis, who engineered the band's 'Almost Killed Me' and produced 'Separation Sunday,' and was recorded at Dreamland Recording Studios in Upstate NY and Wild Arctic Studios in Queens, NY, with mixing also happening at Wild Arctic. Singer Craig Finn says 'Heaven Is Whenever' is about 'embracing suffering and finding reward in our everyday lives.' Piano and keys take a backseat to guitar on the new record, which also gets production help from guitarist Tad Kubler. Recorded in several smaller sessions spread out over a long period of time, the songs on 'Heaven Is Whenever' received the benefit of being tested on the band's recent tours. As Finn says this allowed them to 'see what was working and what wasn't. I believe this record benefits from us working at a more deliberate pace.'

Yard Dogs Road Show

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1st -

The Yard Dogs Road Show is a hobo cabaret, a living patchwork of vaudeville and rock and roll. In the enchanting land of stage show entertainment theirs is both pleasant and formidable terrain. They require a sensitivity to the subtle and the absurd. They lead the modern hobohemian on a visual and sonic journey through part of history that may or may not have existed � followed by an ambitious return to the emotional challenges of our punch-drunk contemporary world. It's a true story on stage: sword swallowers, dancing dolls, fire eaters and sunset hobo poetry - all animated by the live sounds of the Yard Dogs cartoon heavy band. Yard Dogs Road Show is pure visual and sonic voodoo.

Brian Posehn

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd -

Comedian/actor/writer Brian Posehn has most recently been seen on Comedy Central's popular show, 'The Sarah Silverman Program' and on tour as one of the original members of the 'Comedians of Comedy'. Besides writing and performing on HBO's acclaimed 'Mr. Show', he has appeared in sitcoms such as 'Just Shoot Me', 'Seinfeld', 'NewsRadio', 'Everybody Loves Raymond', and 'Friends'. Brian has also appeared in several movies, including Rob Zombie's 'The Devil's Rejects' and 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer', 'Sex Drive' and 'Surfs Up'. In 2006 he released his first graphic novel, 'The Last Christmas', and a comedy album: 'Live in Nerd Rage'. His music video for 'Metal By Numbers' has been viewed over two million times on You Tube and My Space.

Rogue Wave & Midlake plus Peter Wolf Crier

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4th -

Emerson once wrote, 'When it is darkest, men see the stars' and he might as well have been penning a poem for Rogue Wave. Last year was a rollercoaster ride for the foursome � drummer Pat Spurgeon had a kidney transplant, keyboardist Gram LeBron lost his father, singer Zach Rogue had a daughter and the band recruited a new bass player (Patrick Abernethy, formerly of Beulah). But instead of falling apart, they converted all their heartbreak, love, hurt, pain, elation and insight into a most affecting and beguiling record, Asleep At Heaven's Gate. Rogue Wave's Brushfire Records debut, Asleep At Heaven's Gate, is a proudly defiant album shot through with heartfelt self-examination and a wider commentary on the flawed world around us. 'The entire record is about the internal joy that we've been feeling at being able to overcome so much in the last year and then looking around at the country we love, which is disintegrating before our eyes,' declares Zach Rogue. 'I heard this guy on NPR talking about duality in relation to being with his mother when she died. Most people describe death as the most awful thing they could ever experience. But as he was watching the life leave her body, that instant was both the most horrifying moment in his life and the most beautiful, spiritual, and enlightening moment he ever had. Life is all about those dualities'. On Feb 2, 2010 Bella Union will release the eagerly anticipated new Midlake album 'The Courage of Others,' the follow-up to the group's 2006 breakout 'The Trials of Van Occupanther.' The eleven original songs on 'Courage' were written by Tim Smith and produced by Midlake at their new custom-built studio in Denton, TX. The band's lineup remains: singer Tim Smith, Paul Alexander on bass, drummer McKenzie Smith, and guitarists Eric Pulido and Eric Nichelson.

The Sword plus Karma To Burn & Mount Carmel

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13th -

One of the foundations of the metal revival of the past ten years, Austin TX's The Sword have released two flawless slabs of vintage heaviness on Kemado Records, toured the world with Metallica, and were one of the first bands to lock into a whole new legion of fans through Guitar Hero. This summer, the band casts its gaze to the stars for Warp Riders, their third full-length and their most ambitious effort to date. Warp Riders is The Sword's first concept album, a science fiction maelstrom put to the storming, relentless riffage and pounding rhythms upon which the band has staked its reputation. It's also their most flat-out, supercharged, adrenaline-pumping work yet, a chrome-plated war machine that lords over the blackened sky. From the street-prowling anthems 'Night City' and 'Lawless Lands' to the two-part showdown of 'The Chronomancer,' to the furious mechanics of closing track '(The Night the Sky Cried) Tears of Fire,' The Sword forces eminent domain ruling over heavy metal for the next decade, and welcome all challengers for an ill-fated shot at the title.

Matt & Kim

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19th -

A frenetic sound filled with unbridled enthusiasm, roughed-up dance beat and anthemic choruses. Kim plays drums, and Matt plays keyboards and sings. Together the Brooklyn-based duo Matt & Kim are on a never-ending tour for the love of rock. Attend a Matt & Kim show and the first thing you will note is that they couldn't love playing music more. Beaming smiles, exuberant voices and in an instant, the crowd is swept up with the energy. And Matt & Kim will play anywhere. From suburban basements to metropolitan loft parties to bijoux theatres, the intimacy is ever-present as the flow of energy exudes from the band to their screaming fans and back again in a most pleasant feedback loop.

JJ Grey & Mofro

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23rd -

Growing up in the swamplands of northern Florida, down home roots, rock and soul artist JJ Grey became a realist early on. 'You fall in love with a pig,' he says, 'and then one day your granddad knocks it in the head and bleeds it for butchering. You tend to grow up with a certain amount of realism in your life.' JJ Grey and his band Mofro exude rocking, funky, melodic, front porch realism in every song they play. Grey comes from a long tradition of Southern storytellers, and his songs oftentimes use the loss of his natural surroundings and the marginalization of the Southern culture he grew up in as a metaphor for universal truths. The band delivers his material with brilliant musicianship, resulting in music that is thought provoking, rhythmically dynamic and texturally mesmerizing.

Ra Ra Riot plus Givers

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd -

Ra Ra Riot formed in January 2006 in Syracuse, New York while attending university. The band quickly caught the ear of the industry and the tastemakers with many stellar performances including the 2006 CMJ Music Marathon and SXSW 2007. The NME honored them as one of the Top 5 and Top 10 bands that played those festivals respectively. Ra Ra Riot had an incredibly successful 2007 releasing their self-titled, debut ep in July throughout North America and Europe, garnering acclaim in Rolling Stone, Nylon, Spin.com, NPR's 'All Songs Considered', amongst many others. Ra Ra Riot spent November and December in the studio with producer Ryan Hadlock (The Gossip, Blonde Redhead, Stephen Malkmus) recording their debut full-length, which will see release later this year. In January the band made their Montreal and Toronto debut, to packed houses. They sold-out their first headlining appearance at New York's famed Bowery Ballroom before heading to SXSW, making six appearances in four days. The rest of Spring '08 will be spent opening for The Cribs, followed by a co-headlining tour with The Little Ones, which will find them hitting nearly every market imaginable.

Social Distortion plus Lucero & Frank Turner

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8th -

In the late 1970s the first raw, sloppy, speeding guitar chords began to blare from the garages and backrooms of a Southern California suburb called Orange County. They echoed a sound forged in the preceding years in the seminal punk undergrounds of New York City and London. By 1979, a 17 year old kid named Mike Ness had formed Social Distortion with drummer Casey Royer and brothers Rikk and Frank Agnew. The band's world centered around Mike's one-bedroom pad, dubbed 'the black hole,' in a nondescript Fullerton, CA apartment complex. After meeting Dennis Danell, a punk loving classmate, Ness insisted Danell, who at the time didn't play an instrument, join the band on bass. Royer and the Agnew's soon split from the band and eventually form The Adolescents. Local Los Angeles KROQ-FM deejay Rodney Bingenheimer embraced Orange County music, playing highlights from its major local bands, including Social Distortion, on his Sunday night radio show. In 1981, Social Distortion released their first single, 'Mainliner/Playpen,' on the Posh Boy label. Around the same time, Mike Ness developed a reputation as a brawler resulting in a chunk of his left ear being bitten off during a confrontation at the Cuckoo's Nest bar.

The Dandy Warhols

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th -

Often compared to the druggy psychedelic pop of the Velvet Underground, the Dandy Warhols do posses more than just a passing resemblance to Lou Reed and Co. at times, but elements of such modern rockers as Love and Rockets and Ride can be detected in their sound, as well. Formed in Portland, OR, during 1994, the Dandy Warhols consist of members Courtney Taylor (vocals, guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboards), Peter Holmstrom (guitar), and Eric Hedford (drums), who signed on with the independent label Tim/Kerr shortly after their formation. 1995 saw the release of the quartet's debut release, Dandy's Rule OK?, and while other rock bands may be a bit hesitant to spell out their influences, the Dandy Warhols decided to openly advertise it as the album contained such song titles as 'Lou Weed' and 'Ride.'