New Logo

Thanks to everyone who voted for my new logo on my Facebook page! The large photo below is the winner, and the three smaller ones will also be used here and there. Here's to lots more from Ragin' Randy!

 

Remembering Jerry Garcia

Jerry Garcia, lead guitarist and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, passed away from a heart attack on this day in 1995. Known for his impeccable songwriting skills, alongside collaborating lyricist Robert Hunter, Mr. Garcia and the rest of the Dead were at the forefront of a massive revolution of sound. The Grateful Dead was the first real "jamband," and any band that fits under the genre today cites them as an influence.

While Garcia consistently denied it, insisting that the band was one unit with no leader, he truly was the spokesman of the group, both on the stage and off. He certainly could not have had the same impact on the world without the rest of the Grateful Dead behind him, but he was definitely the fan favorite, and there would not have been a Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia.

After the mind expanding, LSD driven days of peace and love in the 1960s, many musicians struggled with drug addiction, specifically with cocaine and heroine. Garcia was no exception, and in his last few years of life, he was checked in and out of rehab multiple times to help kick his habit. However, I, like so many others, prefer to remember him for his incredible musical abilities. He was a multi-instrumentalist with the uncanny ability to play any instrument with strings. His ability to write lyrics improved significantly after working so closely with Hunter, and all of his side projects were extremely successful.

Aside from an unrivaled discography with the Grateful Dead, Garcia's personal discography includes 4 solo studio albums, 1 studio and 18 live albums as the Jerry Garcia Band, 2 live albums as the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, 2 studio and 1 live album as New Riders of the Purple Sage, 4 live albums as Old and in the Way, 2 live albums as Legion of Mary, 2 studio and 9 live albums with Merl Saunders, 7 studio albums with David Grisman and 1 live album with John Kahn. More archival releases of Garcia's live performances and rare studio works are being released every year. Garcia was also featured on several well known albums, such as Surrealistic Pillow and Volunteers by Jefferson Airplane, Deja Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Ace by fellow Grateful Dead member Bob Weir, Transverse City by Warren Zevon, A Night on the Town by Bruce Hornsby and many others. Rest in peace Jerry!

Photo Gallery: Phish @ Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, Pelham, AL (08-02-2014)

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

So, I tried out my new camera on Agori Tribe, and I still have some work to do before I can get this concert photography thing down. However, a few turned out pretty cool, plus I got some pre-show footage, as well as an interview with The Groove Orient! All of the photos of The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy and The Groove Orient were taken with my phone. Also, make sure to scroll all the way down and check out my video of The Groove Orient's cover of Frank Zappa's "I'm The Slime"!

Agori Tribe - Hi-Tone (07-31-14) Setting Up

Pre-Show Merch Table Shenanigans

Agori Tribe - Hi-Tone (07-31-14) Soundcheck

Sean Naughton, Dave Hash & Jeffrey Naylor of Agori Tribe - Soundcheck

David Collins of Agori Tribe - Soundcheck

Jeffrey Naylor of Agori Tribe - Pre-Show Shenanigans

Sean Naughton of Agori Tribe

Sean Naughton of Agori Tribe

Agori Tribe - Hi-Tone (07-31-14)

Will Nicholls & Jeffrey Naylor of Agori Tribe - Hi-Tone (07-31-14)

Will Nicholls & Jeffrey Naylor of Agori Tribe - Hi-Tone (07-31-14)

David Collins, Will Nicholls & Sean Naughton of Agori Tribe

Agori Tribe - H-Tone (07-31-14)

Will Nicholls of Agori Tribe - Hi-Tone (07-31-14)

The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy - Hi-Tone 7/31/14

The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy - Hi-Tone 7/31/14

The Groove Orient - Hi-Tone 7/31/14

The Groove Orient - Hi-Tone 7/31/14

Chuck Magid, Harry Ong and David "Drillbit" Incorvaia of The Groove Orient

Chuck Magid, Harry Ong and David "Drillbit" Incorvaia of The Groove Orient

Tommy Shugart of The Groove Orient on the Hammond B3

Tommy Shugart of The Groove Orient on the Hammond B3

Paul Terry & David Vanegas of The Groove Orient

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.