Progressive jam giants Umphrey’s McGee‘s return to Las Vegas for the seventh installment of the massively popular UMBowl production was marked once again by a stand-out tour closing dual evening extravaganza where all stops were pulled out and the power given directly to the fans, for better or for worse.

Dopapod played two energetic and career expanding nights at the Theater of the Living Arts on South Street in Philadelphia. It was the first time in my old stomping grounds in quite some time. It was exactly twenty years ago that I saw moe. there and Gov’t Mule with Alan Woody. That was the first time I experienced tinnitus and loved it. Here in the present, I can tell that Dopapod is going to be the next Phish or Umphrey’s McGee on the jam band circuit.

Led by the Tim Bluhm’s caramel smooth baritone vocals, a unique bunch of renowned San Francisco Bay area-based players got together on May 11 to deliver a musical tribute to the recently fallen Merle Haggard. The show took place at the intimate Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California.

In the weeks following pop icon Prince’s untimely passing, hordes of respected entertainers paid their respects through acknowledgement or performance. Once again, an artist’s full depth and impact is celebrated strongest posthumously. That is not to say that Prince’s impact as a musician and atypical sex symbol wasn’t already deeply influential. Take funk saxophonist and bandleader Karl Denson.

Every Thursday at Cervantes Other Side in Denver, CO they feature a bluegrass night. On this night, Joseph James Brewing Company featured this week’s Grass For That Ass jam. This weekly tradition down in the Five Points section of this musical city has become a weekly occurrence for some of the bluegrass dedicated. On this night, there was a diverse music selection.

The Haunted Windchimes took to the studio with Guitarist/Mandolinist/Producer Chandler Pratt, best known for his work with The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, to record their 6^th album, an LP on their own label Blank Tape Records.  Rattle Your Bones offered an opportunity for the talented quartet from Pueblo, CO to release another fine example of their unique brand of Americana-Roots.  The band consists of Inaiah Lujan (Acoustic and Electric Guitar,

The other day I heard a startling statistic - over 200 people move to Austin every day. As a native Austinite, this doesn’t rattle me in any way… it just gives me a sense of unease for the future of my city. There’s a reason that droves of people are attracted enough to this energy to move here every day, but will too many people dilute that essence, that thing about Austin that gets into your bones? I don’t know.

Albert Castiglia [pronounced ka - steel - ya] was born in New York and raised in Miami since he was 5. He started taking guitar lessons at the age of 12. He found a passion for playing the guitar and has been perfecting his craft ever since.

Castiglia got his first big break when legendary harmonica player Junior Wells heard him play and sing. Castiglia was able to travel with Wells on several world tours.

Castiglia has shared the stage over the years with artist such as Larry McCray, Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater, Billy Boy Arnold and many more.

Canadian songsmith-troubadour Tom Wilson has been a well known musician throughout Canada, Europe and many other parts of the world for along time. But he is largely a best kept secret to his southern neighbors in the states. I predict this is going to change. Having earned a popular reputation as a founding member of country-alt-rock band Blackie and The Rodeo Kings and Junkhouse, Tom has reinvented as LeE HARVeY OsMOND.

“Oh man, Bill Withers, oooh, he just gets me all over, you know?” a middle-aged woman I’d never met revealed to me as we waited for The New Stew to take the stage last night.

In just the second night of their limited run playing Withers’ classic 1973 album, Live at Carnegie Hall, it was clear that all over feeling is likely to spread.