Imagine a world where Marty McFly wasn’t Michael J. Fox. The Back to the Future Blu-Ray extras reveal 1984 auditions from actors who almost landed iconic roles. One casting change, and the “Future” we know could’ve looked very, very different.
“Bill’s Records”: A Love Letter to Music, Vinyl, and a Life Lived Behind the Counter
Music is love, life, and the thread that ties us all together. For 46 years, Bill Wisener poured his soul into Bill’s Records in Dallas, a sanctuary for crate diggers and music lovers alike. In the short documentary Bill’s Records, filmmaker Chuck Przybyl captures the heart of a man who lived and breathed vinyl, proving that in a world full of chaos, music is the one thing that always brings people together.
Sam Louie of Toronto’s Grossman’s Tavern Has Passed Away. This Is Important.
Hui Yen Sam Louie 雷煦然先生
August 19, 1930 – March 12, 2025
Sam Louie was more than the owner of Grossman’s—he was its beating heart, the quiet force that kept the music alive in a world where venues disappear by the day. He understood what it meant to create a space where the blues could thrive, where musicians found a stage, and where regulars became family. Keeping a club like Grossman’s going was a lifelong devotion, a testament to the love of music, community, and tradition.
My own family spent decades doing the same, pouring everything into preserving the blues and supporting the community, and when they passed that torch to Sam and his family, they knew it was in the right hands. He – along with the entire Louie family – honoured the past while shaping the future, proving that live music was all about connection. He fought to keep that spirit alive, even as the world changed around him.
Grossman’s Tavern is a sanctuary, a place where the weight of the world lifted with every note played. Sam and his family made sure of that. They greeted you with warmth, made sure you felt welcome, and always kept the music front and centre. It takes a rare kind of person to carry that weight for as long as he did – look around, there’s not many venues left.
He fought, not just for himself, but for his family, his club, and the generations of musicians who found their home on his stage. He understood the success of Grossman’s Tavern is about the people, the stories, the moments that linger long after the band packs up for the night.
Toronto has lost a legend, but Sam’s presence will never fade from Grossman’s, just like my own family is etched into the walls (some would say you might have scratch a few layers of cigarette smoke to get to it, though.) His story, his legacy, and the music he protected will continue to echo through the bar, through every performance, every hang, and every person that walks through those doors.
Rest easy, Sam. The blues will keep playing for you.
Lost 80’s Live Returns for 23rd Anniversary Tour with A Flock of Seagulls, General Public, Big Country & More!
Lost 80’s Live, the ultimate retro music experience, is returning for its highly anticipated 23rd Anniversary Tour in 2025! Hosted by legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame DJ Richard Blade, this electrifying celebration of 80s music features an incredible lineup of the decade’s most iconic artists and hitmakers.
As the longest-running retro music tour, Lost 80’s Live has become a beloved tradition for fans nationwide, offering an unforgettable evening of nostalgia, music, and memories.
This year’s star-studded lineup includes performances by: A Flock Of Seagulls (“I Ran (So Far Away),” “Space Age Love Song”) – General Public (“Tenderness,” “Never You Done That”) – Big Country (“In a Big Country,” “Fields of Fire”) – The Vapors (“Turning Japanese,” “Jimmy Jones”) – The Icicle Works (“Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)”) – China Crisis (“Working With Fire and Steel,” “Arizona Sky”) – Josie Cotton (“Johnny Are You Queer,” “He Could Be the One”) – Belouis Some (“Some People,” “Imagination”) – The Polecats (“Make a Circuit With Me”) – Peter Godwin (“Images of Heaven,” “Baby’s in the Mountains”)
This year, Rob Juarez, the creator and producer of Lost 80’s Live, has brought together a powerhouse coalition of promoters-Nederlander, Live Nation, Mammoth, Goldenvoice, AEG, and WorldOne Presents-to expand on the tour’s continued success.
“Lost 80’s Live is more than a concert-it’s a celebration of an era,” says Juarez. “We’re thrilled to be celebrating 23 years of sharing the magic of the 80s, and this year’s tour promises to be our biggest and best yet!”
Described by Rolling Stone as an “all-in-one mega-show” and recognized by Consequence for its “stacked lineups” and unforgettable performances, Lost 80’s Live has become a must-see event for 80s music lovers nationwide.
Lost 80’s Live Tour Dates
07.31 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl
08.01 – Boston, MA – Wang Theatre at the Boch Center
08.02 – New York City, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17
08.03 – Cary, NC – Koka Booth Amphitheater
08.06 – Northfield, OH – MGM Northfield Park
08.08 – Niagara Falls, ON – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino Resort
08.09 – Roanoke, VA – Elmwood Park Amphitheater
08.10 – Macon, GA – Atrium Health Amphitheater
08.12 – St. Petersburg, FL – Duke Energy Center Mahaffey Theater
08.14 – New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre
08.15 – Sugar Land, TX – Smart Financial Centre
08.16 – San Antonio, TX – The Espee
08.17 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
08.20 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
08.21 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
08.24 – Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre
08.28 – Ontario, CA – Toyota Arena
08.29 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheater
08.30 – Saratoga, CA – Mountain Winery
08.31 – Lincoln, CA – The Venue at Thunder Valley
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Drop “Glib Tongued” ft. El-P & Announce U.S. Tour Ahead of Death Hilarious
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs released the official video for “Glib Tongued” featuring El-P, the third song to be released from their forthcoming fifth studio album Death Hilarious that will be released on April 4 via Missing Piece Records in North America and Rocket Recordings (rest of world).
“My lyrics reflect on how fondness of the past and senses of nostalgia can affect and influence the present, and especially in a political sense, not for the better. This notion of working towards ‘getting things back to how they used to be,’ feels very backwards. The ‘good old days’ never existed,” explains frontman Matt Baty. “Having El-P collaborate with us on this track was absolutely mind blowing. Word class lyricist. No smoke and mirrors, sees and tells it exactly the way it is.”
Bassist John-Michael Hedley adds: “‘Glib Tongued’ was an idea I’d been sitting on for a few years. It felt like the right time to inject it into Death Hilarious. Though after bringing it to the table it morphed into something bigger and better than I could have ever imagined. Securing El-P’s services for a verse blew my mind and I feel immensely proud that an idea I’d worked on during an extremely dark time in my life, has flourished into a powerful force for good. I hope.”
The band has also announced a US tour in support of the album that will kick off on June 18 in New York at Le Poisson Rouge and will make stops in Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, Los Angeles and many more.
North American Tour:
6/18 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
6/19 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
6/20 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
6/21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird
6/23 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
6/24 – Detroit, MI – Magic Bag
6/25 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
6/27 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall
6/28 – Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz
6/29 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
8/14 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
8/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
8/16 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
8/18 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
8/19 – Vancouver, BC – The Pearl
8/20 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
8/22 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room
8/23 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre
8/25 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada
8/26 – Houston, TX – White Oak Upstairs
8/27 – Austin, TX – The Parish
Puma Blue Extends North American Tour in Support of antichamber, Adds Second Shows in LA, NY & Decatur
Puma Blue – the alias of Jacob Allen – has today announced further dates extending his intimate run of North American shows. The tour now includes second shows in Los Angeles, New York and Decatur arriving in support of his recent surprise album, antichamber – supported at Stereogum, The FADER, Paste Magazine, Northern Transmissions, The Line of Best Fit, CLASH and more – which is available now via Blue Flowers. The new dates go on sale at 10 AM local time on Friday, March 21.
antichamber marks a sonic shift for Puma Blue with Allen writing away from the full band setup focusing on obscure electronic textures and acoustic instrumentation. Whereas Puma Blue’s previous material has honed in on the centre point between trip-hop, Jazz and electronica, antichamber demonstrates a raw and direct approach to songwriting. It’s vulnerable and crushingly beautiful with vocals and guitar being the sole components, at times delivering dense narratives (“tapestry”, “hotel room”) and at others the simplest sentiment (“in the absence of you”).
Allen made the following statement about the new release:
At my home in Decatur, by the woods, I find myself in two weeks of cold and lonely solitude.
In an attempt not to be consumed during a dark time, I start to soundtrack my time alone, not intending to share this music with anyone.
The songs spill out, akin to journal entries. Never have I received music from the higher realm so suddenly.
Very quickly there is half an hour of deeply personal, stripped-back music recorded with one microphone, and ambient pieces inspired by my favourite romantic-era classical music, sampling my surroundings using a field recorder I was given by my partner.
What begins as a private reflection grows into a full body of work, capturing the quiet ache of this time. It becomes a companion on long walks and bike rides. I listen to the mixes as I watch birds and rivers. I begin to heal.
When I gather the courage to share it with my partner and a couple friends, they insist this is Puma Blue music.
This album is called antichamber.
It runs 35 minutes.
4 ambient pieces and 9 songs (1 cover of a song by Low).
I want to let the music speak for itself, but for any burning questions you can write me at https://www.reddit.com/r/PumaBlue/
I hope it meets you wherever you are.
with love,
jacob x
Tour Dates
April 30 – Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
May 01 – Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
May 03 – Chicago, IL @ Constellation
May 04 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake
May 06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (Early Show)
May 06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (Late Show)
May 09 – Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian Church
May 11 – Washington, D.C. @ The Atlantis
May 12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Public Records
May 13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Public Records
May 31 – Athens, GR @ Gazarte
June 02 – Berlin, DE @ Theater im Delphi
June 03 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet
June 04 – Brussels, BE @ AB Club
June 05 – Paris, FR @ Hasard Ludique
June 07 – London, UK @ Lower Third (SOLD OUT)
William Lee Golden & The Goldens Inducted Into NACMAI Hall of Fame, Celebrating Generations of Country & Gospel Legacy
Oak Ridge Boy, Country and Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member William Lee Golden along with his family band, The Goldens, were inducted into the 28th Annual North American Country Music Association International (NACMAI) over the weekend.
They joined fellow honorees Billy Dean, Marty Raybon (of Shenandoah), and Mark Wills. In front of a roaring audience and a venue full of support, William Lee, his son Chris, and his granddaughter Elizabeth Golden took the stage, performing several songs before their official induction.
“Being able to travel with my family and make music will go down as one of my greatest musical accomplishments ever,” shares William Lee Golden. “My grandson Elijah couldn’t be with us as he’s at college getting ready to graduate and of course, I wish Rusty could have been there. They were so kind to provide us with a trophy for him as well. It is something my family will cherish forever.”
William Lee Golden and The Goldens have released several videos, including “Southern Accents,” “Stand By Me,” “If I Could Only Hear My Mother Pray Again,” “Bobbie Sue,” “Old Country Church,” “The Long And Winding Road,””I Saw The Light,” and “Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On.”
Carolyn Wonderland Unleashes Truth Is—A Fierce, Soulful Blues Statement Produced by Dave Alvin
On Friday, May 16, Alligator Records will release Truth Is, the ear-opening new album from Texas’ award-winning, guitar-slinging, straight-from-the-soul singing Carolyn Wonderland. She’s known for her formidable songwriting as much as for her singing and playing, and with Truth Is, she delivers a timeless album for these times. Truth Is will be available on CD, maroon vinyl LP and at all major streaming services.
Truth Is was produced by legendary guitarist and songwriter Dave Alvin (producer of Wonderland’s Alligator debut, Tempting Fate), who also co-wrote four songs, three of which he plays on. Wonderland says of Alvin, “I’ve never had my ass handed to me so thoughtfully in the studio. I came in with songs and Dave took the arrangements I wasn’t married to and put on his “Mad Rearranger” hat to get to the heart of the songs, always looking for and finding something that tells the story better. Dave is amazing. He has an incredible literary mind and is one of the best guitar bashers I’ve ever met.”
The roof-raising first song from the album, Sooner Or Later, premieres today on all digital service providers. “Sometimes a melody just comes creeping out of the instrument,” Wonderland says of the song’s inception. “Maybe that’s why you gotta spend time listening to what your instrument wants to say instead of shoehorning your will on it, I suppose. The slight melancholy of the lonesome lap steel led me to the lyrics. Hard to say who’s the protagonist when you’re trying to walk in everyone’s shoes, but I felt a longing for connection with these neighbors and adversaries. Can we change when we find we are wrong? Can we make peace with the ghosts of our pasts? I guess we’ll find out sooner or later.”
On Truth Is, Wonderland, with her vividly detailed, instantly memorable songs, reflects on the world with honesty and righteous conviction. Wonderland’s bold and insightful songs tell common-sense truths that, in her words, “need to be told.” They are driven by her sometimes savage and other times gently melodic guitar fingerpicking, along with her full-throated yet still vulnerable vocals. As for the album’s brutally honest subject matter, Wonderland says, “There’s always hope and we’re still here for each other, but at some point, you have to sing about the elephant in the room.”
Along with bassist Naj Conklin and drummer Giovanni “Nooch” Carnuccio, Wonderland is joined on Truth Is by guests including Alligator labelmate Marcia Ball and friends Shelley King, Ruthie Foster, Cindy Cashdollar (“the Girl Gang,” says Wonderland), Red Young, Bukka Allen, Kevin Lance, Henri Herbert and Stuart Sullivan. The album was recorded and mixed by Sullivan at Wire Recording in Austin, Texas.
With her dynamic guitar playing, sublime songwriting, and pure Texas vocals, Wonderland has more than earned her reputation as a fiercely independent artist. She has been performing professionally since the age of 15 and has been on the road her entire career. She’s played with icons from Townes Van Zandt to Levon Helm, from Buddy Guy to Hubert Sumlin, from Bob Dylan to John Mayall (as the first female guitar in the iconic Blues Breakers), all while writing her own story.
In 2008 Wonderland recorded the first of four albums produced by her friend, famed musician Ray Benson, founder of the multiple Grammy-winning band Asleep At The Wheel. According to Benson, “Carolyn’s got that unbelievable, incredible voice, one of the great voices of our times.”
Wonderland’s 2021 Alligator Records debut, Tempting Fate, brought her to her largest audience yet. The response was immediate and glowing. Premier Guitar proclaimed, “Wonderland is a Texas legend…a rising global star. She has a ferocious fingerpicking style and a passion for bringing fire to the blues.” Living Blues said, “Every song showcases Wonderland’s never-waste-a-note guitar work and warm, soaring vocals. There may not be a better album this year.” For her efforts, she won the Austin Music Award for both Best Blues Artist and Best Guitarist and was inducted into the Austin Music Hall Of Fame. She’s been nominated for three Blues Music Awards.
With Truth Is, Carolyn Wonderland stakes her claim among the most influential roots music voices today, delivering the blues’ honest truth to all who will listen. Her courageously empowering music packs an emotional wallop, with every track on the album performed with a rare intensity that is welcoming and ultimately uplifting. “She’s something else,” Bob Dylan once said to Ray Benson. “She should be nationwide.”
GA-20 Drops “Stranger Blues,” Showcasing New Lineup & Virtuoso Slide Guitar Ahead of VOLUME 2
GA-20 is dropping the third single, “Stranger Blues”, from their upcoming EP, VOLUME 2. The new track is available NOW worldwide.
“Stranger Blues” is the first opportunity for GA-20 to showcase the virtuoso slide playing of new guitarist/vocalist Cody Nilsen. Slide guitar has been a mainstay of GA-20’s repertoire from the very first single, “Naggin’ On My Mind,” which featured guest Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars. On “Stranger Blues,” Cody and the band dig in with a hard driving, urgent sound that pays tribute to the originators.
VOLUME 2 features new members – vocalist and guitarist Cody Nilsen and Joshua Kiggans on drums – along with guitarist and founder Matthew Stubbs. This dynamic trio is poised to advance their artistic vision with a renewed focus on their interpretation of traditional song-based electric blues. The full EP will be released April 29th.
Since 2018, GA-20 has been at the forefront of a traditional Blues revival. The dynamic throwback trio have long been disciples of the place where traditional Blues, Country and Rock ‘n’ Roll intersect. “We make records that we would want to listen to,” says guitarist Matt Stubbs. “It’s our take on the song-based traditional electric Blues we love.” Stubbs, along with guitarist & vocalist Cody Nilsen and drummer Josh Kiggans, strive to bring traditional Blues to the front lines of the modern roots music scene. “The focus for us has always been on the story, the melody, and on creating a mood,” Stubbs continues. “Traditional Country and Soul have all had these massive recent revivals. We want to be part of doing that for traditional Blues music.”
GA-20 has drawn inspiration for their old-school sounds from the music they love by artists such as Otis Rush, J.B. Lenoir, Howlin’ Wolf, Junior Wells, Hound Dog Taylor, Earl Hooker, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson and so many others. Performing with what feels like reckless abandon, GA-20 brings a timeless immediacy to every song they play with a sound that continues to grow and evolve. The band uses vintage instruments and amps to produce their authentic sound, and favors traditional recording techniques, like recording live off the floor together in one room, to help recreate that energy and sonic connection.
In their short history, GA-20 have been 3x #1 Billboard Blues chart toppers, 4x Boston Music Award winners for Best Blues Act, and have received multiple wins and nominations at the Blues Music Awards, Blues Blast Awards, New England Blues Awards, and have ascended streaming and radio charts at home and internationally. Medium.com has appropriately declared, “This is the kind of music that travels through time while taking from the era where it was born and turning it into something fresh. Dirty and raw…timeless and modern.”
Milena Casado Unveils “O.C.T (Oda to the Crazy Times),” a Bold, Genre-Bending Reflection on Modern Chaos
Today, Milena Casado, trumpeter, composer, and producer, releases the second single from her forthcoming debut album Reflection of Another Self due out May 16 via Candid Records. “O.C.T (Oda to the Crazy Times)” is a meditation on our maddening, infuriating sociopolitical age – LISTEN HERE
The rhythmic horns, punchy percussion, and experimental production paired with powerhouse bars by GRAMMY-nominated “rap hero” (Washington Post) KOKAYI mirror an overwhelming amount of thoughts, anxiety, confusion, anger, and frustration.
Says Milena, “The rhythmic motives in this song mirror an overwhelming amount of thoughts, anxiety, confusion, anger, and frustration. I wrote this while trying to process trauma: racism, sexism, meeting and building a relationship with my father… all of it. There’s also a layer of sarcasm in the music, out of frustration, out of exhaustion. This song is personal, yet universal.”
Casado has already generated incredible buzz in recent years through her work with Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Kris Davis, and other guiding forces in the music world. Reviewing a set led by the pianist Zacchae’us Paul, The New York Times wrote, “Milena Casado, was a revelation.” She was recently featured in the New York Times’ “5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Brazilian Jazz.”
Reflection of Another Self is a stunning first statement that is sonically adventurous and a deeply personal exploration of her identity, overcoming personal traumas including experiencing racism growing up in Spain and grappling with her dual heritage, among other profound topics. It is an adventurous and bold statement from a newcomer who has been honing her skill with luminaries and biding her time, constructing a debut album fit for someone destined to upend the jazz world.
Co-produced by Casado with “one of her biggest mentors and friends,” the drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, and the wizardly multi-instrumentalist Morgan Guerin, Reflection of Another Self boasts a dream team of special guests: harpist Brandee Younger, flutist Nicole Mitchell, pianist Kris Davis, sound artist and turntablist Val Jeanty and the MC KOKAYI. Meshell Ndegeocello stops by to lay down a bassline on “Self Love,” the meditative closer of pure uplift. Alongside these artists is a core band including some of the finest improvising musicians in the game: pianist Lex Korten, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, drummer Jongkuk Kim, and Morgan Guerin on EWI.
Of course, Casado, a fluidly virtuosic player who attacks a groove with the graceful power of a champion boxer, could have crushed a more conventional acoustic jazz debut. “But that wasn’t what I wanted to do,” she says. “I was really trying to find these sounds that I had in my head, that I hadn’t really heard yet, and see how I could mix them with an acoustic sound, drawing inspiration from Miles’ quintet with Wayne Shorter — especially the Miles Smiles LP.”
Reflection of Another Self is the most important achievement yet in Casado’s career, but it’s also the beginning of a bold new aesthetic. “When I began this album, I had all these expectations: It’s my first album; It needs to express exactly who I am” she says. “But now I see that it’s really just the starting point of a long exploration.”
Reflection Of Another Self Tracklist
THIS IS MY HAIR (!)
O.C.T (Oda to the Crazy Times) ft. KOKAYI
Yet I Can SeeIntrospection I – I
Lidia y los Libros ft. Brandee Younger & Nicole Mitchell
Unconditional Love
Introspection II – Preguntas
Circles
Let’s Paint the World
Introspection III – Courage ft. Terri Lyne Carrington
Resilience
Circles (Retrospection) ft. Kris Davis
SELF LOVE