In 1994 Tom Petty released the stunning album Wildflowers.  And apparently, the late rocker's estate has plans for a Wildflowers celebratory release - an “exhaustive chronicle of the making of one of Petty’s most enduring albums.”

Teasing the release, the estate has shared a recently discovered home recording of  “You Don’t Know How It Feels” from the Wildflowers album.  

Petty’s daughter Adria told Rolling Stone of the archival find: 

"My dad’s demos were always really awesome ... They were a good guiding light in the Wildflowers sessions. And this one has a right-out-of-the-box feeling to it...The family and all our engineers and the Heartbreakers have been circling around this project and making it as delightful and completist as possible. We’re really pleased to be able to share the second half of the Wildflowers double album. But there are also completist versions of how the sessions evolved. My dad was prolific at that time and there was so much recording done. Coming off the ‘Last Dance with Mary Jane’ session, it was a compete evolution of how dad recorded and how he made space for his own feelings. Wildflowers was very personal for him. He wasn’t hiding behind anything.”

Tom Petty - You Don't Know How It Feels (Home Recording) 

Earlier this month - country stars Lady Antebellum changed their name to Lady A - admitting “antebellum” was a racially insensitive reference to the pre-Civil War era United States.  

And now  Dixie Chicks have followed suit - dropping the word Dixie from their name and rebranding themselves as simply The Chicks.  Even thought the band's name was a reference to the Little Feat song “Dixie Chicken” .. the term Dixie is also a reference to Civil War-era South and has come under increased scrutiny in the past few weeks. 

The decision comes with the statement on thechicks.com  that says: “We want to meet this moment”

The band accompanied the new name with a new single called March March from their first new album in 14 years - Gaslighter (due out out 7/17 on Columbia records) and a Seanne Farmer directed video featuring scenes from various protest marches. 

At last year's Tribeca Film Festival, Oscilloscope Labs debuted the documentary All I Can Say, which chronicals the rise and fall of the band Blind Melon, through the eyes of the band themselves.  We now have an official trailer for the film - which opens in "virtual cinemas" + on VOD starting June 26th. For more info, visit the film's official website  

From Oscilloscope Labs: 

Shannon Hoon, lead singer of the rock band Blind Melon, filmed himself religiously from 1990-1995 with a video camera, recording up until a few hours before his sudden death at the age of 28. His camera was a diary and his closest confidant. In the hundreds of hours of footage, Hoon meticulously documented his life—his family, his creative process, his television, his band's rise to fame, and his struggle with addiction. He filmed his daughter's birth, and archived the politics and culture of the 1990s, an era right before the internet changed the world. Created solely with his own footage, voice, and his own music, this rare autobiography is a prescient exploration of experience and memory in the age of video. It is also Hoon's last work, completed twenty-three years after his death.

On Saturday night (June 20) - the Preservation Hall in New Orleans hosted a massive live streamed fundraising show.  The music institution is so important to so many people- they had no problem getting participants ... the 4 hour show includes live and archived performances from Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Irma Thomas, Dave Matthews, Beck, Jon Batiste, Jim James, Arcade Fire, PJ Morton, Nathaniel Rateliff and more! 

The show got its name from the 'Midnight Preserves' series the Preservation Hall hosts each year when prominent artists in town for Jazzfest perform at the small venue in the heart of the French Quarter alongside the Preservation Hall Collective for late night concerts.  

If you would like to support Support Preservation Hall - you can:

-Text PRESERVATION to 707070

-Visit http://preshallfoundation.org 

-Bid on a one-of-a-kind experience package: https://bit.ly/round-midnight-auction 

Now on with the show ... scroll down for a timeline of the show if you want to skip to the good parts :) 

0:00 Start

14:20 Intro

16:46 Good evening from Ben Jaffe

20:35 Alabama Shakes at Midnight Preserves 2014

24:32 Ben Jaffe interviews Amy Schumer

30:52 Dave Matthews Band and PHJB performing “Ants Marching”

41:45 Ben Jaffe interviews Dave Matthews

46:54 Dave Matthews and PHJB performing “That Girl Is You”

57:37 Ben Jaffe interviews Jim James

1:04:47 My Morning Jacket and PHJB performing “St. James Infirmary”

1:10:00 Preservation Hall presents: Richard Moten

1:10:43 Ben Jaffe interviews PJ Morton

1:17:54 PJ Morton performing “How Deep Is Your Love”

1:21:00 Preservation Hall presents: Rickie Monie

1:22:10 Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and PHJB performing “Having A Party”

1:28:43 Ben Jaffe interviews Dave Grohl

1:30:30 Dave Grohl and PHJB performing “Come With Me”

1:34:24 Corinne Bailey Rae and PHJB performing “Like A Star”

1:47:15 Preservation Hall presents: Joe Lastie

1:49:07 Irma Thomas and Kyle Roussel performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

1:55:07 Nathaniel Rateliff and PHJB performing “Make A Fire”

1:59:13 Ben Jaffe interviews Nathaniel Rateliff

2:04:45 Preservation Hall presents: Gregg Stafford

2:06:07 Hurray For The Riff Raff and PHJB performing “Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor”

2:12:44 Ben Jaffe and Charlie Gabriel interview Dave Grohl

2:14:16 Ben Jaffe interviews Jude Law

2:21:10 Beck and PHJB performing “Sexx Laws”

2:24:40 Ben Jaffe interviewing Elvis Costello

2:29:33 Elvis Costello performing “The River In Reverse”

2:35:49 Jupiter & Okwess and PHJB performing “Ekombe”

2:43:00 Ben Jaffe interviewing Jon Batiste

2:49:33 Jon Batiste performing “Crescent City Piano Suite in D Minor”

2:56:37 Sharon Jones and PHJB performing “Fish In the Dish”

3:01:38 Jim James performing “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)” (Introduced by Elvis Costello)

3:07:17 Preservation Hall presents: Lars Edegran

3:07:52 Ben Jaffe interviewing Dave Grohl

3:09:37 Foo Fighters performing “In The Clear” at Preservation Hall

3:14:38 Daniel “Weenie” Farrow performing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”

3:17:48 Irma Thomas and PHJB performing “Time Is On My Side”

3:22:00 Elvis Costello and PHJB performing “Deep Dark Truthful Mirror”

3:27:15 Jon Batiste and PHJB performing “Santiago”

3:35:19 Preservation Hall presents: Louis Ford

3:38:12 Arcade Fire and PHJB performing “Wake Up”

3:45:07 Ben Jaffe interviewing Dave Grohl

3:47:10 Dave Grohl performing “Best of You”

3:54:20 Paul McCartney, Irma Thomas, PHJB and special guests performing “When the Saints Go Marching In”

3:59:50 Credits

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band put together quite the all-star group of rock icons  on Saturday night (June 20) for their livestream concert to support New Orleans' iconic Preservation Hall.

Paul McCartney, Dave Matthews, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Arcade Fire, Jim James, Beck, and Nathaniel Rateliff were just some of the names who took part in the three hour show (which you can stream in full HERE) 

But the highlight of the night came when Paul McCartney, Dave Matthews, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Jim James, Irma Thomas, & Nathaniel Rateliff all teamed up with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to perform a virtual collaboration  of the NOLA anthem - “When the Saints Go Marching In” 

Other highlights include - Elvis Costello playing “The River in Reverse,” Jim James  playing his My Morning Jacket’s “Wonderful”, Dave Grohl and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s take on “Come With Me to New Orleans,” and Dave Grohl's solo version of the Foo Fighters classic - "Best of You" ... a song that Grohl says is more important to him today than it was 15 years ago when he wrote it.  (jump to the 3:41:00 mark to watch) 

The venue, which like other venues around the country has been closed since March, holds a special place in Grohl's heart.  Foo Fighters recorded there in 2014 for their Sonic Highways LP  ... 

During the broadcast, Grohl recalled - 

“We loaded in all of our equipment to record this loud rock song ... I’m looking at all these beautiful paintings on the wall and these lightning fixtures and pews that had been there for decades. I’m thinking, ‘We’re going to bust this place.’ It was exciting in that experiment.”

Grammy Award winning R&B artist and songwriter Leon Bridges has released an official video for the powerful anti racism song “Sweeter”

The video - Directed by Leon's longtime photographer and collaborator Rambo - was filmed in Fort Worth, TX because Bridges "wanted to shine a light on the Black community in Fort Worth, and specifically my childhood community from the Southside of Fort Worth. I had my friends and family with me; this is a celebration of our Blackness.” 

The song was written from the perspective of a black man taking his last breath and feeling his spirit leave his body, was originally written and recorded for a future album, however, in light of current events, Leon and Terrace felt compelled to release the song at once.

Photo Credit: Rambo

Says Leon,

“Growing up in Texas I have personally experienced racism, my friends have experienced racism. From adolescence we are taught how to conduct ourselves when we encounter police to avoid the consequences of being racially profiled. I have been numb for too long, calloused when it came to the issues of police brutality. The death of George Floyd was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. It was the first time I wept for a man I never met. I am George Floyd, my brothers are George Floyd, and my sisters are George Floyd. I cannot and will not be silent any longer. Just as Abel’s blood was crying out to God, George Floyd is crying out to me. So, I present to you Sweeter."

Leon Bridges - Sweeter (Official Video) ft. Terrace Martin

Sweeter Lyrics: 

Hoping for a life more sweeter, 

Instead I’m just a story repeating. 

Why do I fear with skin dark as night? 

Can’t feel peace with those judging eyes. 

I thought we moved on from the darker days. 

Did the words of the King disappear in the air, 

Like a butterfly? 

Somebody should hand you a felony. 

Because you stole from me, 

My chance to be. 

Hoping for a life more sweeter, 

Instead I’m just a story repeating. 

Why do I fear with skin dark as night? 

Can’t feel peace with those judging eyes. 

The tears of my Mother rain rain over me. 

My sisters and my brothers sing sing over me. 

And I wish I had another day, but it’s just another day. 

Hoping for a life more sweeter, 

Instead I’m just a story repeating. 

Why do I fear with skin dark as night? 

Can’t feel peace with those judging eyes

 When German Electronic Pop duo Milky Chance teamed up with an American surf folk artist Jack Johnson ... it seemed like an odd mix of genres ... But after hearing the track Don't Let Me Down - we're glad they did it

And seeing them come together from all points of the globe to perform the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was even more impressive ... not to mention the best use of a vacuum in a song since Jonathan Fishman of Phish with his Electrolux vacuum

HBO has announced plans to air the filmed Broadway adaptation of “David Byrne’s American Utopia”  that was directed by Spike Lee later this year. The show, which features David Byrne collaborating with 11 other musicians (all playing wireless instruments for maximum movement) performing selections from his 2018 album “America Utopia,” as well as songs from his previous band, Talking Heads and other solo projects and covers.

In a press release from HBO, Bynre said: 

“Spike and I have crossed paths many times over the years, obviously I’m a huge fan and now finally here was an opportunity for us to work together.  I am absolutely thrilled with the result. The Broadway show was a wonderful challenge as well as an opportunity – it was a joy to perform and, well, best to let the quotes speak for themselves. Thrilled that this show and the subjects it addresses will now reach a wider audience.”

One of the covers in the show is an updated version of Janelle Monáe’s protest anthem “Hell You Talmbout,” which features Byrne and the musicians calling out the names of Black lives lost at the hands of law enforcement and racial violence: 

Anyone who saw the show when it was on tour (including shows at The Anthem in DC and Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia) or during it's Broadway residency - should be excited to be able to see it again - and if you missed out on seeing live - consider an HBO subscrption if you dont have one already for this.  

2020 was going to be a big year for The Killers ... they announced the release of their sixth studio album - Imploding the Mirage - along with plans for a major tour to support it (including a DC date) ... well, the album's release has been delayed and the tour happening is looking less and less likely. 

But Brandon Flowers and company are still putting out some live renditions of the new material - including this live from home version of Caution for The Ellen DeGeneres Show earlier this week: 

One of the highlights of many music festivals don't happen on the festival grounds - but actually offsite  - after the festival is over for the day - when the bands who are in town for the weekend descend on local music venues to play intimate shows for a few lucky fans.  

One of those includes the “Midnight Preserves” series - a midnight jam session that takes place at the Preservation Hall in New Orleans during the Jazz and Heritage Festival.  

With the festival cancelled due to COVID-19 - the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s Ben Jaffe and photographer Danny Clinch have enlisted a slew of artists to perform on  “‘Round Midnight Preserves,” a livestream benefit concert set for June 20th at 9 pm E.T. 

Scheduled to perform are Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Beck, Dave Matthews, Jim James, Nathaniel Rateliff, Irma Thomas, Jon Batiste, and PJ Morton. 

Virtual admission to the show is free and it will stream on the Preservation Hall Foundation’s website as well as on their YouTube channel, Facebook  page and Twitch. 

A live auction will be held during the event, offering four tickets to shows by the featured artists as well as seats to the Preservation Hall in New Orleans.

Remember a few weeks back when The Flaming Lips released their COVID-Concert shirt- where everyone in the band and the audience was in one of Wayne Coyne's signature 'bubbles'?

Well - since then - the band decided to make it a reality ... so instead of playing a zoom style performace from their homes on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, they decided to perform "Race for the Prize" from 1999's The Soft Bulletin as a full band on stage, to a samll  crowd with everyone inside  individual bubbles.  Genius! 

Lenny Kravitz gave fans a special  performance on The Tonight Show - playing every single instrument on the song “Believe”. 

The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon - introduced Believe as a song “about action, spirituality and hope”. 

Check out the at-home performance of his 1993 classic below - 

Lenny Kravitz: Believe (The Tonight Show: At Home Edition)

Tracy Chapman's 1988 song Fast Car is deeply rooted in the Austin duo Black Puma's history.   

Eric Burton recalls playing the song when he first began busking and it attracted the  the most attention from the people passing by.  

The band has been known to include it in their live sets.  

And now- they have officially realeaed an official recording of it - along with a “Steady Groovin Mix” of their latest single, “Fire”.

According to Burton - 

“To me, ‘Fast Car’ is a song of hope, dreams and a relentless heart to go somewhere and be someone.  I learned the song when I first began to busk and of the covers that I knew, it garnered the most attention from the random passerby. As a musician and artist, I’m attracted to songs that make us reflect on our daily struggles for making life worth living for.”

 

June 5 is National Wear Orange Day - aka - National Gun Violence Awareness Day.  And to honor the day this year - Pearl Jam have released the unedited version of the (Baltimore Native) Mark Pellington directed video for the song Jeremy.  

Photo: Theresa Sanchez

The original (edited) version of the video - for a song that wasn't even supposed to be a the first single from the Ten album, went on to win multiple MTV VMAs.  

The band decided to release the unedited version of the video - which they weren't able to do in 1992 due to TV censorship laws - because "the increase in gun violence since the debut of “Jeremy” is staggering."  

Pearl Jam - Jeremy (uncensored version)

In addition to the video - the band has released an updated version of their 1992 "Choices" T-shirt, with "all proceeds to support organizations working to prevent gun violence. We can prevent gun deaths whether mass shootings, deaths of despair, law enforcement, or accidental." 

The updated shirt has changed  the quote from "9 out of 10 kids prefer crayons to guns" to "10 out of 10 kids prefer crayons to guns" ... you can purchase the shirt HERE

When the COVID-19 sanctions on large gatherings are lifted and we are able to go to concerts again - it looks like there will be one more show space in Baltimore.  

Brian Recher confirmed Friday that he plans to re-open The Recher Theatre music venue in Towson - reb-randed as Recher 2.0 - sometime this fall.  The venue closed in 2013 and was converted to a dance club. 

The project is in the early stages, but buzz of the 700 person music venue is strong - with people reminiscing about shows they saw at the venue - including Citizen Cope, The White Stripes, Silversun Pickups, They Might Be Giants, Good Charlotte, and so many more.  

What are some of your favorite memories from 512 York Road? 

Sturgill Simpson has announced that he will live stream a performance from an empty Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.   The show will air this Friday evening (June 5) at 8 p.m. EST and will be livestreamed for free on nugs.tv, Twitch and Simpson’s YouTube 

The show is being offered for free as a thank you to fans that helped generate $250,000 for charity.  

Simpson wrote on Instagram: 

“With your unbelievable generosity we raised over $250,000 for MusiCares COVID-19 Relief, Equity Alliance Nashville Tornado Relief, and the Special Forces Foundation benefiting severely wounded operators fighting the global war on terrorism and the families of those who did not return. As a show of my appreciation for your efforts I will be performing a one hour live stream concert as promised” 

The show won't be the rock n roll extravaganza we were hoping to see on his A Good Look’n Tour - but more of a nod to his bluegrass roots.  He will be joined by fiddler Stuart Duncan, bassist Mike Bub, Sierra Hull on mandolin, Scott Vestal on banjo, Tim O’Brien and Mark Howard on guitar and Miles Miller on drums.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would very much like to offer immense thanks to all my fans for contributing to the DDSS quarantine charity drive. With your unbelievable generosity we raised over $250,000 for Musicares COVID-19 Relief, Equity Alliance Nashville Tornado Relief, and the Special Forces Foundation benefiting severely wounded operators fighting the global war on terrorism and the families of those who did not return. As a show of my appreciation for your efforts I will be performing a one hour live stream concert as promised THIS FRIDAY EVENING JUNE 5TH @ 7pm Central Time live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Tennessee joined by some very special friends on stage to round out the sound •••Stuart Duncan (fiddle) / Mike Bub (bass) / Sierra Hull (mandolin) / Scott Vestal (banjo) / Mark Howard (guitar) / Miles Miller (the best snare and brushes you ever heard) ——————————————————————— We will be streaming live on the following platforms: -NUGS.TV @nugsnet -TWITCH - handle @sturgillsimpson -YOUTUBE (Sturgill Simpson channel) ——————————————————————— We will also be selling an exclusive show poster and a brand new “Thirsty Sturg” t-shirt at www.sturgillsimpson.com in efforts to raise further funds during the stream. Once again, thank you very much to all who contributed. ????? Sturgill #sturgillsimpson #surviveandthrive #ddss

A post shared by Sturg??iLL (@sturgillsimpson) on Jun 3, 2020 at 11:11am PDT

To make the whole thing a little more like a "real" concert -you'll be able to purchase an exclusive show poster and a brand new “Thirsty Sturg” t-shirt at www.sturgillsimpson.com in efforts to raise further funds during the stream

The City of Annapolis will host a citywide shopping and dining event tonight (June 3, 2020) as  a test for their planned 'Recovery Zones'

Similar to the “Dining Under the Stars” events on West Street in past summers - some roads will close so that tables can be added to increase capacity for stores and restaurants. 

The following roads will close:

-Main Street between Church Circle and Francis Street

-Maryland Avenue between State Circle and Prince George Street

-West Street between Church Circle and Cathedral Street

-Market Space between Pinkney and Fleet Streets

The following areas will have reduced parking so that tables can be added without street closures: 

-Main Street in front of Buddy’s Crabs & Ribs

-Main Street in front of O’Brien’s

-Market Space in front of Harvest

The following area will have extended outdoor dining space:

-Bay Ridge Market Shopping Center 

Parking will be free at Hillman Garage and Gotts Garage between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. Paid parking will resume at 11 p.m

 Mayor Gavin Buckley said: 

"We are all looking forward to Wednesday ...We welcome residents and visitors back to Annapolis, where we can all enjoy a dining and shopping experience in a safe environment.”

 The event is a pilot for the City’s planned Recovery Zones.  If it goes well, it will pave the way for the business associations for each zone to plan future events.  The Recovery Zones and associasions include - 

• Downtown Annapolis / Downtown Annapolis Partnership
• Main Street
• Forest Drive: South Forest Business Association
• Eastport / Eastport Business Association
• West Annapolis / West Annapolis Business Affiliation
• Maryland Avenue / Maryland Avenue & State Circle Association
•