The Infinity Music Hall in Hartford, CT hosted Spafford for a high-flying night of jams on Saturday. This weekend marked the start of Fall Tour and the return of guitarist and lead member Brian Moss to the stage, and what a return it was with some incredible improvisational performances by the band.

Beneath the fading light of an August evening, where the Colorado skies clung to the last vestiges of day and the mountains loomed like sentinels of the ancient past, Tyler Childers took his place before a nearly overflowing crowd at Folsom Field. As darkness gathered, so did the anticipation, swelling like the distant storm that loomed just north of Boulder, sending waves of electric excitement through the air.

Fifty years ago today, on August 16th, 1974, the Ramones played their first-ever show at New York City's CBGB & OMFUG. While the very first Ramones gig was March 30th, 1974 – with Joey on drums, Dee Dee on lead vocals and bass, Johnny on guitar, and Tommy doing management duties – August 16th marked the debut Ramones performance to feature all four members on-stage together.

Last night, Spafford brought their electrifying energy to the Nashua Center for the Arts, kicking off their fall tour with a show that will be remembered for years to come. The performance marked the triumphant return of guitarist Brian Moss, who rejoined the band after a hiatus, seamlessly reclaiming his place in the band and hitting the ground running.

Pickin’ On Green Day: Bluegrass & Broken Dreams, the latest in the acclaimed Pickin’ On Series from CMH Records, is out today, August 16. The collection showcases the biggest and best-loved songs from the legendary East Bay punks reinterpreted through the framework of classic bluegrass instrumentation and vocal stylings. In an exclusive partnership with RSD Essentials’ Indie Exclusives, Pickin’ On Green Day is being made available in independent record stores nationwide.

The iconic music project Rhythms Del Mundo, featuring a Cuban re-imagination of Coldplay’s “Clocks,” U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and Sting’s “Fragilidad,” is now available for streaming. PRESS HERE to listen.

The EP also features legendary Cuban singers Omara Portuondo and the late Ibrahim Ferrer of the Buena Vista Social Club.

The project is in support of the environmental charity Artists Project Earth (APE).

Kenny Wayne Shepherd, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated preeminent blues-rock guitarist, has just unleashed his latest single “Long Way Down,” a smoldering track that stands out as one of the most intense moments on his upcoming album Dirt On My Diamonds, Volume 2 out September 20th via Mascot/Provogue Records. “Long Way Down” takes listeners on a deep dive into a moodier, more introspective side of Shepherd’s sound.

Ben Sollee is thrilled to unleash, Long Haul, his first solo studio effort in seven years, is out now via sonaBlast! Recordings. On Long Haul, Sollee draws from diverse influences, from nearby Appalachia and Muscle Shoals (he lives in Kentucky) to the exotic music from Polynesia and West Africa. These influences all meet with Sollee’s cello and vocals to create a wonderfully textured album, something akin to Paul Simon’s Graceland.

Out today is JERRY DOUGLAS’ latest offering, “Something You Got,” the sophomore single from his upcoming album The Set — his first studio album in seven years. Originally written and performed by R&B artist Christopher Kenner in 1961, “Something You Got” gets a fresh take from DOUGLAS. Listen to the track via streaming services here.

Blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa is marking the 10th anniversary of his landmark album Different Shades Of Blue with the release of his exciting single, “Better The Devil You Know.” Available now on all streaming platforms, this high-octane, R&B-infused blues rock track offers fans a fresh look at a critical moment in Bonamassa’s career.