Media shapes cultures shapes images shape persona. It’s the inescapable cycle that is the source of frustration for many within a society where news and advertising communicate what is news and what’s hot and what’s not. It is such anger and disgust with society that in part drive Letters to Kurt, a short, poetic epistolary book by Eric Erlandson, confounder and guitarist of 90s grunge band, Hole.

Ian Tyson is a cowboy, sure as Hell.

After 17 years pursuing other passions, Hairball Willie is reuniting for a weekend of shows on May 18th & 19th, 2012.  The first show will be in the ‘burbs on Friday at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL and the second is at Martyr’s in Chicago.  The band’s full length studio album Just Defying Gravity was released in 1993 and since then, the members have defied gravity in their own

Nestled high in the foot hills of the Poudre Canyon, the legendary Mishawaka Amphitheatre rests on the rocky banks of the Cache de la Poudre River. For the past 8 years, the Mish has served as the spring stopping ground for Ft. Collins’ favorite sons. And once again, this Saturday, May 12th, opening weekend arrived. It was time to Head for the Hills.

The good folks at the Hi-Dive in on Broadway treated Denverites to a line-up of great music last night. On the bill were three relatively new groups, all having been founded after 2009. More than worth the ten bucks to get in the door! Once inside, we were greeted by the creative sampling sounds of Young Man. This signaled the start of rocking.

Unyieldingly pleasant, that’s what it is. Lisa Biales’ “Just Like Honey” is nearly the perfect companion to a rainy day on the couch, a sunny day in the garden, a road trip or a night on the town. It’s the record’s strength and maybe its weakness, too. That depends when you’ve got the blues.The sixth album on her own Big Song Music label, “Just Like Honey” covers 11 Americana and blues tunes and includes a co-write and two originals.

Boulder was rocked off its ass this week when Social Distortion came through town, bringing with them their infamous brand of rockabilly a la punk rock. Frontman Mike Ness and crew were on hand to deliver the Social D experience, greatest hits and then some.

Classic. The word more properly evokes a feeling than a concrete meaning. The meaning would be flatly explained as something from the past that has gained a memorable status. When applying “Classic” to the bluegrass genre a whole new set of meanings and associations surface. Bluegrass is classic Americana. A genre that is wholly American and comes loaded with stories and fables that define less of a time than a mentality. The workingman’s blues.

Yarn is a true workhorse of a band. The Brooklyn, NY outfit plays an average of 200 shows a year and their cohesion as a band is tried and true. On Friday, they brought their alt-country/bluegrass blend to Quixotes in Denver for a two-night run of outdoor performances.

As the bartender made his last call, Todd Snider knew his evening with his hero Jerry Jeff Walker was coming to a close. They finished their drinks and slipped out the exit into a still dark night. It was the hour in which a busy city was fast asleep and only the air made a noise. Together they began to tiptoe down lonely city blocks until they heard the strings of an acoustic guitar...