Dopapod Announces Massive Fall Tour

Jam/funk/rock/tronica band Dopapod has announced a lengthy fall tour, spanning from late September to mid December and hitting 43 different cities, with 4 more TBA. Trust me, you will not want to miss these guys in action! The 4-piece band is one of my current favorites, and they bring the heat every show. Click here for more info and tickets, and see below for the full list of dates!

Dopapod Fall Tour 2014

Zoogma and The Werks Announce Co-Headlining Fall Tour

Zoogma and The Werks have announced a 21-date Fall Tour covering the South, Midwest, Northeast and Colorado. The two bands will co-headline each date on the tour. Check out the full list of dates below!

Zoogma and The Werks Fall Tour Dates

10/16 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel

10/17 Atlanta, GA - Terminal West

10/18 Atlanta, GA - Terminal West

10/19 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre

10/22 Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection

10/23 Kalamazoo, MI - Shakespeare's Lower Level

10/24 Lansing, MI - The Loft

10/25 Covington, KY - Madison Theater

10/28 Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck

10/30 Fort Collins, CO - Hodi's Half Note

10/31 Denver, CO - Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom

11/01 Denver, CO - Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom

11/05 Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre

11/06 Minneapolis, MN - The Caboose

11/07 Iowa City, IA - Blue Moose Tap House

11/08 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

11/12 Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre

11/13 Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts

11/14 New York, NY - The Gramercy Theatre

11/15 Baltimore, MD - Soundstage

11/16 Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre

Looking Ahead: August in the Life of Ragin' Randy

Wow! This summer has been such a wild ride, and things are still taking off for me here at Ragin' Randy! After a rockin' weekend of some great local music and some top notch jammin' in Pelham, Alabama, August still has a lot more to offer! Let's take a look at what's coming up next:

So far, there are two big album releases coming up this month. Both actually come out on the same day! Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist for The String Cheese Incident, will be releasing his third solo studio album Speed Of Life on August 19. Stay tuned for my review coming up in the next week or two. Also released on August 19 is New Orleans prog-funk band Earphunk's new album Sweet Nasty. I'm hoping to review that one, but it is not official yet.

Now, the REALLY good stuff! I have a couple weeks off from shows, but later on this month, the fun begins! On August 20, I'll be heading to see Crosby, Stills & Nash at The Orpheum Theatre, followed by Southern Brewers Festival that weekend (Aug. 22-23) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The festival will feature moe., Soulive, Greensky Bluegrass, Gov't Mule and more. Finally, I'll round off August with Memphis Electronic Music & Arts Festival (M.E.M.Fest) on August 30-31, which will feature a host of local electronic music artists, as well as some of the biggest names in bass music! Look for my reviews of both of these festivals!

Also, keep your eyes out this week for photos from The Groove Orient w/The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy & Agori Tribe, as well as photos from Phish in Pelham!

If you'd like me to review your album or show, please email me at randyharris1228@gmail.com.

Preview: The Groove Orient w/The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy & Agori Tribe

Tonight, The Groove Orient will be playing the Hi-Tone in Memphis, Tennessee, with local support from reggae fusion band The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy and instrumental, psychedelic rock band Agori Tribe. Let's take a few minutes to look at this awesome cast and get pumped for a great show tonight!

Agori Tribe was founded in Memphis in 2008 and has played venues and house parties all over the city, and even all around the Southeast region. The band has released one full-length album, The Hard Mountain Tradition, and has shared the stage with artists such as Perpetual Groove, Zoogma, Arpetrio, Moon Taxi, Particle, The Original Wailers and more. Their unique blend of rock, jazz, reggae and electronica yields an incredible, psychedelic live music experience.

The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy was also formed in Memphis in 2008, and their wide range of influences (everything from hip hop to reggae to jazz) and heavy focus on moving together as a unit combine to entertain audiences of all ages. The band has multiple releases and has relentlessly played around Memphis and other areas of the United States over the past few years.

The Groove Orient, while fairly new to me, is a six-piece band whose primary focus is to "orient the groove" to find that point where the subconscious takes over and sends audiences off on a musical journey. Formed in Winter Park, Florida, the band brings the groove to Memphis tonight, so you better check out their tracks below and get oriented!

STS9 Announces 23-Date Fall Tour

Soundtribe Sector 9 (STS9) has announced 23 dates over October and November, including Halloween night in Nashville, followed by a two-night stand in Atlanta. See below for full dates, and click here for more ticket info. Tickets go on sale this Saturday morning at 10:00 am local time for each stop!

Remembering Sam Phillips (January 5, 1923 - July 30, 2003)

They call Elvis Presley "The King of Rock & Roll," but what many people don't know is that without Sam Phillips, there would be no Elvis Presley. Originally from Alabama, Mr. Phillips fell in love with Beale Street in the late 1930s and moved to Memphis in the mid-1940s to work at a radio station. On January 3, 1950, Mr. Phillips opened the Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. That building still stands today as Sun Studios. 

Mr. Phillips recorded "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats in 1951, which is considered by many to be the first ever rock & roll record. He also discovered and recorded some of Memphis' most legendary blues artists, such as Rufus Thomas, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King and more. Mr. Phillips also provided the opportunity for many other future superstars to make their first records, including, but not limited to, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and many, many more. Mr. Phillips was a part of the first group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and he was the first ever non-performer inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Sam Phillips lived to 80 years old, passing away of respiratory failure in his beloved Memphis, Tennessee on July 30, 2003. Elvis may still be the King, but Sam Phillips is without a doubt the Godfather of Rock & Roll. Rest in peace Sam!

Sam Phillips - Founder of the Memphis Recording Service (Sun Studios/Sun Records)

moe. Announces Big Lebowski Halloween In Vegas

Jamband giants moe. have released their official Halloween plans! Looks like they'll be competing with Phish in Vegas as they tackle the Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas on October 31, 2014, with a theme based on the 1998 movie The Big Lebowski. The official announcement from the band came as follows:

"Polish up those bowling balls for Halloween night in Vegas with moe.! The band has planned The Big Lebowski-themed night at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas with very special guests Bill Payne of Little Feat on keys, along with vocalists/trombonists Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman. Don your bathrobe, your purple jumpsuit, or your Lebowski best, because we're gonna roll up the rug and party, Dude-style!"

The band will follow its Halloween shenanigans with a show at the Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas Strip on November 1. Tickets for both shows can be found here beginning July 31!