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!

Gov't Mule Announces Fall Tour Dates

Gov't Mule has announced Fall Tour dates to continue their Kicking Ass for 20 Years endeavor. Click here for full details and ticket information.

Gov't Mule Fall Tour Dates

9/12 Cleveland, OH - Palace Theater

9/13 Kalamazoo, MI - Kalamazoo State Theatre

9/14 Danville, IL - Phases of the Moon Music & Art Festival

9/16 Lincoln, NE - Bourbon Theatre

9/17 Fargo, ND - The Fargo Theatre

9/19 Billings, MT - Babcock Theatre

9/20 Spokane, WA - Riverside Event Center

9/23 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater

9/24 Arcata, CA - Humboldt State University

9/25 Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Resort and Casino

9/26 Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre

9/27 San Diego, CA - Balboa Theatre

10/01 Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom

10/03 Kansas City, MO - CrossroadsKC at Grinder's

10/04 Greenville, MS - Mighty Mississippi Music Festival

Primus Fall Tour Announced

Primus has officially announced a Fall Tour to support the band's upcoming album Primus & The Chocolate Factory with The Fungi Ensemble. Check out this Rolling Stone interview with Les Claypool for more details on the upcoming tour and album.

Primus Fall Tour Dates

10/22 Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theater

10/24 Albany, NY - Palace Theatre

10/25 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre

10/26 Burlington, VT - Flynn Center for the Performing Arts

10/28 Waterbury, CT - Palace Theatre

10/29 Baltimore, MD - Hippodrome Theatre

10/31 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre

11/01 New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre

11/02 Rochester, NY - Main Street Armory

11/03 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore

11/05 St. Louis, MO - Peabody Opera House

11/07 Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre

11/08 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle

11/09 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live

11/11 Miami, FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach

11/12 Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall

11/14 Biloxi, MS - Hard Rock Live

11/15 Austin, TX - ACL Live at the Moody Theater

11/16 Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre

11/17 San Antonio, TX - Majestic Theatre

11/19 Phoenix, AZ - Orpheum Theater

11/21 Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre

Yonder Mountain String Band Fall Tour Announced

Yesterday, Yonder Mountain String Band (YMSB) gave us some Fall Tour dates! Check out the band's tour page for tickets and full details here.

YMSB Fall Tour Dates

10/16 Ozark, AR Yonder Harvest Music Festival #*^

10/17 Ozark, AR Yonder Harvest Music Festival #*^

10/18 Ozark, AR Yonder Harvest Music Festival #*^

10/23 Augusta, GA - Jessye Norman Amphitheatre *^

10/24 Birmingham, AL - Iron City Music Hall ^

10/25 Athens, GA - Georgia Theater ^

10/26 Savannah, GA - Trustee Garden ^

10/29 Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom *^

10/30 Chattanooga, TN - Track 29 *^

11/01 Winston-Salem, NC - Ziggy's *^

11/05 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom *^

11/06 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue *^

11/07 Chicago, IL - House of Blues *^

11/08 Chicago, IL - House of Blues *^

11/12 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground *^

11/13 Boston, MA - House of Blues *^

11/14 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of the Living Arts *^

11/15 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl *^

# Jerry Douglas on dobro

*Allie Kral on fiddle

^ Jake Jolliff on mandolin

RIP Brent and JJ

July 26 unfortunately also marked the anniversary of two great deaths in music history. Brent Mydland, keyboardist for the Grateful Dead during arguably the band's most successful era, died from a drug overdose on July 26, 1990 at age 37. JJ Cale, a largely under-appreciated singer/songwriter whose compositions have been covered by artists such as Eric Clapton, Phish, Jerry Garcia, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more, died of heart failure on July 26, 2013 at age 74.

Brent Mydland, Grateful Dead (October 21, 1952 - July 26, 1990)

JJ Cale, Singer/Songwriter (December 5, 1938 - July 26, 2013)

Happy Birthday Mick and Roger

Due to a fairly busy day yesterday, I unfortunately missed the opportunity to wish a happy birthday to Mick Jagger and Roger Taylor. Mr. Jagger, the lead singer and frontman for The Rolling Stones, turned 71 yesterday (July 26), and Mr. Taylor, the drummer for Queen, turned 65. Mr. Jagger is one of the founders of The Rolling Stones and has been a member of the band since its inception in 1962. Mr. Taylor is one of the founding members of Queen and has been a member of the band since its inception in 1970. Happy birthday gentlemen!

Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones (July 26, 1943)

Roger Taylor, Queen (July 26, 1949)

July 22, 2014 Recap

With so much happening in the world of music and the world of Ragin' Randy yesterday, I figured a nice recap was in order. First, I had my first article published on Live For Live Music yesterday, a review of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' upcoming album Hypnotic Eye.

Album Review: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Hypnotic Eye (July 29, 2014) - Live For Live Music

Next, my review of The McLovins' show at Newby's on July 15, 2014 was published on Live Music Daily.

Concert Review: The McLovins - Newby's, Memphis, TN (July 15, 2014) - Live Music Daily

Links to both of these reviews, as well as all of my past reviews, will be held in the Album Reviews and Concert Reviews tabs of this site.

We were also lucky enough to have several tour date and festival lineup announcement yesterday. The big Fall Tour announcements came from Phish, Papadosio, Lettuce w/Exmag and Late Night Radio (special guests for some shows include Gramatik and Soulive) and Beats Antique w/Shpongle, Emancipator and Lafa Taylor, while the final festival lineup announcement for moe.down 15 was announced as well. These lineups are presented below. There is still plenty more to come from Ragin' Randy in the upcoming months, so please stay tuned, and thank you for your support!

             

Lettuce Announces Fall Tour Presented by Live For Live Music

Jamfunk mastermind Lettuce has announced a slew of fall tour dates, with some shows featuring Late Night Radio as the opener and some featuring Exmag as the opener. Also, a few dates include special guests Gramatik or Soulive. No matter which opener and/or special guests, this tour is bound to attract some attention, and with Live For Live Music behind it, the attendance should be massive making for a funky dance party!

Phish Announces Fall Tour 2014

The fun never ends today as Phish announces a 12-date fall tour hitting the West Coast and ending with a 3-night run in Las Vegas for Halloween weekend. Since the West Coast didn't get any love on the Summer Tour, it comes as no surprise that Fall Tour makes it's way through. For ticketing information, click here.

PHISH FALL TOUR DATES

Oct 17  Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, OR

Oct 18  Key Arena, Seattle, WA

Oct 21  Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA

Oct 22  Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA

Oct 24  Forum, Inglewood, CA

Oct 25  Sleep Train Amphitheatre, Chula Vista, CA

Oct 27  Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA

Oct 28  Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA

Oct 29  Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA

Oct 31  MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Nov 01  MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Nov 02  MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Beats Antique Announces Creature Carnival Tour

Another big tour announcement this week, as bass music duo Beats Antique announces a round of tour dates with Shpongle, Emancipator and Lafa Taylor for the Creature Carnival Tour! Might be worth a mid-week trip to Nashville for this one! The dates are listed below, and you can find more information on the tour here.

moe.down 15 Final Lineup Announced

Jamband veterans moe. have finalized the lineup for their annual moe.down, now in its 15th installment. With a couple surprises in the headliners, such as O.A.R. and Gogol Bordello, the lineup is solidified with Lotus, Les Claypool's Duo de Twang, up-and-comers Twiddle and The Werks, and moe. side project Floodwood.

Papadosio Announces Fall Tour Dates

Jamtronica scene favorite Papadosio has announced a lengthy fall tour, dubbed the Imaginal Cells Tour, crossing 35 U.S. cities. My first Papadosio experience was a Monday night at Newby's here in Memphis, and I didn't really know what to expect. I had heard they were good and that there should be a decent turnout, so I decided to check it out for a bit and go home early, since I had class the next day. Little did I know that the entire place ended up packed with people, ON A MONDAY, and the band absolutely blew me away! I caught them once more at Summer Camp Music Festival in 2013, and I think I'll have to catch at least one of these Southeastern shows this fall!

Concert Videos

As I was digging through and organizing some old concert photos and videos, I found a ton that I have not uploaded to my YouTube page. Check out this playlist of Ragin' Randy's videos! Some are better quality than others and some are longer than others, but all of them are entertaining!

Also, subscribe to my YouTube channel here!

   

Blues-Rock Legend Johnny Winter Dies at 70

While no cause of death or official statement has been released from his family, Johnny Winter reportedly died in his hotel room in Zurich, Switzerland yesterday, July 16. Following is a photographic, cinematic and musical tribute to the legendary albino guitarist, Johnny Winter. Scroll down for pictures, a YouTube playlist and a Spotify album.

     


 
                     

Photo Gallery: The McLovins - Newby's, Memphis, TN (July 15, 2014)

Check out these photos from The McLovins at Newby's! There's also a bonus video at the bottom of the band covering the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias."

Concert Preview: The McLovins at Newby's, Memphis, TN (Tues. July 15, 2014)

Getting geared up for my first of three shows this week, let's take a look at tonight's band, The McLovins. Hot off of the release of their new album Beautiful Lights, released January 21, 2014, the band has already crossed the Northeast and Midwest regions this summer, and has just completed four nights in Colorado. Describing themselves as Improv Rock, the band covers a wide variety of moods and timbres on their latest project. From bass heavy dance tunes like the opening track, "Flavor of the Week," to funky, laid back tunes such as "Man in a Blue Coat" and slow tracks like "Yankee Rose," there is definitely something for everyone on the album. The McLovins have been slowly working their way up the live music totem pole ever since the band's inception in 2008. The band now has three full length albums under their belt, along with a couple of EPs and many miles of touring. Look for my review of the show on Live Music Daily and check out Beautiful Lights by The McLovins below!

Photo Gallery: The Black Cadillacs - Levitt Shell, Memphis, TN (07/06/14)

The Black Cadillacs returned to Memphis on Sunday July 6 as part of the Levitt Shell's Free Concert Series, and what a show it was! All Tennessee natives, these guys just keep getting better. Below is my full set of photos from the evening.