One of the great joys of attending concerts is the never-ending exposure to new artists and the swift kick in the ass feeling of why you haven’t been listening to them. This isn’t usually the case with most headliners, as you know what you’re getting into, but when it comes to the opening band, all bets are off. It’s a crapshoot. You might as well bet it all on red.

Tonight, perennial Bay Area folk group TV Mike and the Scarecrowes (yes, the extra e is necessary) perform at Berkeley’s The Starry Plough. It’s an intimate venue, with a big, open stage, giving performers enough room to move around, but also close enough to feel like there isn’t a barrier. And while the Starry Plough may look more like a pub than a concert venue, make no mistake. It’s a place that’s perfectly suited for both.

Hailing from Virginia, The Gypsy Sons' debut album Whiskey and the Devil is a thunderous declaration of intent from this new outfit. The ten song collection, released through Spectra Records on May 7, benefits from gritty production that captures the considerable crunch of the band's live sound while still providing the listener with a thoroughly professional product. This is not rock and roll intent on refashioning the wheel.

When the opportunity to see one of the catalysts of a certain genre of music presents itself, the general inclination is to get up off of the couch and learn something while boogying down. Considered to be amongst the earliest purveyors of the ska movement born out of Jamaica, and directly influencing what has come to be known as reggae, The Skatalites are a treat of a band led by the sole surviving founder, Lester “Ska” Sterling on alto saxophone.

A PBS broadcast, two Independent Music Award nominations and a limited edition vinyl release are all on the spring calendar for "Thank You Les" - a recording and documentary tribute to music industry icon, Les Paul.

On the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, an unseasonably mild March night, EOTO put together an audiovisual party at the Boulder Theater that wasn’t scripted by shamrocks and, fortunately, green beer.

After listening to my friends rave about Twiddle shows they’ve seen all over the country, whether it was a Phish after party or just a small show at a bar, I decided to drive down to Fort Collins from my home in Boulder, catch the $5 show and see what all the buzz was about. Hodi’s Half Note is a small bar venue in the middle of one of the main streets in Fort Collins.

Coming this May from Spectra Records, Australian four piece Jefferson's debut album All the Love in the World benefits from strong production. It surrounds the collection with a powerful modern sheen while retaining a breathing, organic sound. Geoff Rana's vocals remind me of a younger, Girlfriend-era Matthew Sweet's singing and the band demonstrates tremendous chemistry for an unit that has been playing together for three years.

There aren’t really any proper words in the English dictionary to describe a Dirtfoot show. However, due to my lack of knowledge of other languages (with the exception of Hermano [thanks, Arrested Development!] and countless useless German words) I am going to attempt to describe Dirtfoot using the English language.

Soulive drummer and founder Alan Evans is a musical force to be reckoned with. More than 15 years as an integral member of the jazz-fusion group wasn’t enough for him.