Punk Rock Fest in Hartford This Saturday

Crusty old-school punks: here's one's for you.

Hartford Area Residents Say Goodbye to La Paloma Sabanera on June 26

News broke over the weekend that Capitol Ave. coffeehouse La Paloma Sabanera, often referred to as "Hartford's Living Room," is shutting its doors on June 27.

Gov't Mule Added to Gathering of the Vibes Festival Lineup

Warren Haynes and Gov't Mule (pictured) return to Bridgeport's Seaside Park this summer to participate in this year's Gathering of the Vibes festival on July 27, according to a recent press release.

Connecticut Theaters Showing Grateful Dead Film "Sunshine Daydream" on Aug. 1

What's being promoted as "the most highly sought after Grateful Dead show captured on film" will run simultaneously in HD at theaters around the country on August 1, including nine cinemas in Connecticut, according to a Fathom Events press release.

Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires Return to Hartford on August 4

Singer-songwriters (and roots-music power couple) Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires will play Hartford's Arch Street Tavern on August 4, according to Manic Productions.

Bernie Worrell Orchestra at Up Or On The Rocks on May 18

Hartford becomes the center of the WOOniverse this weekend, when P-Funk legend and keyboardist Bernie Worrell (pictured) brings his Orchestra to Up or On the Rocks this Saturday. Tickets are $10. Boston's Wobblesauce opens.

Tonight: Dark Star "Psychedelic Lecture" at Wesleyan

Area Deadheads: if you're looking for a little enlightenment tonight, head to Middletown, where Dr. Graeme Boone (pictured), an Ohio State professor of music, will present a "psychedelic lecture" on the Grateful Dead's "Dark Star" at Wesleyan University.

The McLovins Headline a Global Marijuana March in Hartford's Bushnell Park on May 4

HempCT, a local grassroots advocacy organization, is planning a Global Marijuana March from 12-8 p.m. on May 4 in Bushnell Park in Downtown Hartford, according to their website.

Allman Brothers/Steve Winwood Tickets for Hartford Show Go On Sale Tomorrow

Hartford's Comcast Theatre plays host to the Allman Brothers Band and Steve Winwood on Aug. 24. Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning (4/26) at 10 a.m. and are available through ticketmaster.com. Prices range from $27.50 for a lawn seat up to $75.

Gathering of the Vibes 2013 Lineup: Phil Lesh and Friends, The Black Crowes, The Roots, Fishbone

On a day when most of Connecticut can hardly imagine being at a sunny, outdoor music festival, the folks at Gathering of the Vibes offered us all a glimmer of sunshine: the 2013 lineup. And it's good.

Yes to Play Foxwoods on April 5

The current lineup of iconic prog-rock group Yes -- bassist Chris Squire (pictured), guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White (pictured), keyboardist Geoff Downes and singer Jon Davison -- will play two classic albums in their entirety, in one concert.

Luke Bryan Comes to Comcast Theatre in Hartford on May 31

Country star Luke Bryan (pictured) will be in Connecticut this spring as part of his "Dirt Road Diaries Tour." Tickets go on sale Friday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. at livenation.com ($54.75, lawn seats for $30).

Help Little Ugly Make a Record

Fans of the great Hartford band Little Ugly can pitch in and help send them back to the studio.

Stream Frightened Rabbit's Pedestrian Verse!

Plaid-wearing, whisky-loving, bearded musician Scott Hutchison, the frontman for Scottish indie rock geniuses Frightened Rabbit, makes me swoon like no other. His lyrics are a simultaneous punch to the gut and commiserating hug that anyone who's had any kind of difficult, real-world adult relationship, or emotional wherewithal to live...

Ra Ra Riot's "Beta Love," First Contender for Song of the Year, 2013?

Late last year, I scrambled to put together a list of my favorite songs released during 2012, not just to have a handy playlist of songs I love, but to remind myself that I should keep track of this stuff starting at the beginning of 2013. Today, I added the first song to that playlist, which may very well turn out to be my favorite song of the year (unless 2013 has some seriously good music waiting for me). It's Ra Ra Riot's "Beta...

New Ke$ha Video for "C'Mon" is Delightfully Crazy (Of Course)

Oh, K-Dolla. How I love you.

Hartford Mega-Concert Planned to Benefit the Victims of Newtown (Update)

UPDATE (1/8/13): Artists, venues and ticket information ($30 a pop) have been posted here.

It's Here! DJ Earworm's 2012 Pop Music Mash-up, "Shine Brighter," Is the Only Song You Need to Hear This Year

The mainstream pop music landscape can be a noisy blur if you're not an aficionado (or a 12-year-old girl). Anyone who says that a lot of chart topping hits don't sound similar to each other is just delusional, let's be real. Whether you're a fan of the stuff, or just like a healthy dose the super-catchy crack that everyone's always on about, you'll love DJ Earworm's annual smushing together of the biggest songs of the year. I personally loved a fair few of these songs this year, but I won't...

About Effin' Time: Rush Gets Inducted Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Hell froze over. Rush is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The 2012 Oxford American Music Issue: Stocking Stuffer for Music Geeks

Every year when the venerable Oxford American releases its annual music issue -- and its accompanying CD -- I’m blown away by the scope of the project, the deep research, the top-notch writing, the curatorial genius, the style and sense of the layout. It’s probably the best stocking stuffer for any music fan on your list. (Some have compared it to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for music obsessives.) It’s the magazine I most look forward to getting each year.

Dave Brubeck, Jazz Pianist and Longtime Connecticut Resident, is Dead at 91

Jazz legend Dave Brubeck, perhaps best known for his 1959 album Take Five, which reached the second highest slot on the Billboard Pop Album chart in 1961, died at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Conn., according to the Chicago Tribune. Tomorrow would have been his 92nd birthday.

Christmas: Sometimes It's A Shit Show! And That's OK.

Dropkick Murphys have released a video for a new Christmas song, called "The Season's Upon Us," and as you'd expect, it's full of drinking, fighting, throwing food, general debauchery and good old family love. Check it out:

Sigur Ros Valtari Film Experiment This Friday at Real Art Ways in Hartford

Is there better cold weather music out there than what's being made by Iceland's Sigur Ros? Possibly. But I'm going wtih them.

Google Instant Playlists: Do They Know More About Our Music Collections Than We Do?

Do you use Google Play? If so, have you noticed that they’ve rolled out a new “Instant Playlist”-generating feature recently? It’s very strange, and kind of cool.

Listicle: 10 Things Wikipedia Taught Me About Drummer Carmine Appice

1) He's an American rock drummer. (For a few years I thought he was British.)

Listicle: 50 Things To Do If Your Band Name Ends With "Project"

1) Make coffee.

Floodwood, Featuring Members of moe., Play Arch Street Tavern in Hartford Tonight

Upstate N.Y.-based progressive string band Floodwood, featuring Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico of moe., arrive tomorrow evening at Arch Street Tavern. Tickets are $12 at the door.

Watch a Video of Dr. John Being Interviewed by UConn Students

"My name is Dr. John the Nighttripper, and I'm a musician."

Check Out This Video Invitation For Yale's LGBT Alumni Group GALA Reunion

This is how Yale sends out a party invite. Or better, a reunion of LGBT alumni taking place early next year. Who doesn't love vibrant colors and a cappella versions of pop songs, am I right?

New Infinity Hall Location to Open on Front Street in Hartford

Norfolk's premier music venue, Infinity Hall, will open a new venue in downtown Hartford, according to a blog post on the Hartford Courant website.

"Call Me Maybe" Slowed Waaaaay Down is ..... Well, Pretty Goddamn Amazing

Ok, ok, we know that Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" has been just about inescapable this year, with it being the super hot jam of the summer and all, but let's be real for a second and waste no time pretending it's not a great song. It's fun and catchy, and instantly meme-able. What more could we really ask for?

Found Objects: Blue Oyster Cult's "The Revenge of Vera Gemini" (1976)

"The Revenge of Vera Gemini,” by Blue Oyster Cult, is the last song of side A on their 1976 album, Agents of Fortune. It was a good year for BOC. Agents of Fortune

New Grimm Generation Video: "Blink, I'm Gone"

After weeks of "What Happened to Asher?" teases popping up all over the place, this video arrived in my inbox this morning, sent by Grimm Generation singer/guitarist Jason Krug (pictured right, with singer Carmen Champagne, left). The track, "Blink, I'm Gone," was produced by Adam Hagymasi of Collinsville, who plays with local bands Daytonville Express and the Kelly Experience. The video was directed by Zach Wussow. Watch and enjoy.

Trey Anastasio's New Album, Traveler, Was Produced in Bridgeport

Trey Anastasio's forthcoming solo album, Traveler, which is set to be released by Rubber Jungle / ATO Records October 16, was produced in Bridgeport, Conn. at Peter Katis' Tarquin Studios last fall, according to a release on Phish.com.

Members of Wilco and the Autumn Defense Confirmed for Arch Street Tavern After-Party on Aug. 1

Members of Wilco, including multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone and bassist John Stirratt, will sit in with scheduled performers Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion at the Wilco After-Party, which takes place on Aug. 1 at 10 p.m. (doors at 9 p.m.), according Nectar's Entertainment Group promoter Aaron Busick.

Bruce Springsteen to Play the XL Center in Hartford on Oct. 25. Start Doing Calisthenics From Now.

If you recently enjoyed reading David Remnick's New Yorker profile of the Boss, you might be happy to learn that Bruce Springsteen is coming to Hartford this fall, as part of his Wrecking Ball tour. The show will take place at the XL Center on Oct. 25. Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster (natch).

Vibes Dispatch: Zappa Plays Zappa

Dweezil Zappa chose some of the more dance-friendly tracks from his father's catalogue -- "Apostrophe," "City of Tiny Lights," "Trouble Every Day, others -- and we appreciated it. He toggled between a nasty guitar tone and a bunch of others, a MIDI-ish sax sound in a couple of places. (It'd be stupid to say how great his band is, because they have to be. But it should be said anyway.) He stretched out and got comfortable on more than a few long, FZ-like guitar explorations over the typical one-...

Vibes Dispatch: Phil Lesh and Friends

What sets Phil Lesh and Friends apart from the other Dead offshoots is the interplay between Lesh and drummer Joe Russo. When you listen to a Band that jams a lot, it's easy to get distracted. You start wondering what each band member is thinking, and that's usually a sign things aren't happening. After a long rain-related break, Lesh and friends returned to open their second set with "St. Stephen," which got kind of messy in the middle. But the jam at the end, well, it made me stop wondering....

Vibes Dispatch: Branford Marsalis

After playing with Bob Weir and Bruce Hornsby, saxophonist Branford Marsalis hung out in the media tent surrounded by journalists and a glass of wine. He's leaving now, only after hugging nearly everyone. "What's that group that does a different album on New Years Eve?" he asked at one point. I said it was Phish, and that they do it on Halloween. "Yeah, that's right." He said he's tried to hook up with them a number of times over the years but their path never seems to cross. He also mentioned...

Vibes Dispatch: Let it Rain

Arrival at the media tent was a soggy trudge, but all is alive and well at the Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport.It's pouring rain, but nobody seems to give a shit. 7 Walkers, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann's new band, took the stage about 10 minutes ago, and they didn't waste much time away from GD material. They noodled their way around to "Mr. Charlie," an old Pigpen-sung tune, and now they're having fun with it. Everyone around is draped in some sort of colored vinyl or plastic,...

Earworm Of The Day: Matisyahu's "Live Like A Warrior" Off New Record Spark Seeker

Matisyahu has returned with a new record, Spark Seeker, and considerably less facial hair. Did you recognize him? Anyway, Spark Seeker is quite good, a catchy collection perfect for summer. Let "Live Like a Warrior" get you through today to the weekend.

"The Socialites" Off New Dirty Projectors Record is Sweetly Catchy and Gorgeous

Brooklyn's Dirty Projectors are back another full-length, Swing Lo Magellan, out this past Tuesday July 10 on Domino Records. It's a rhythm-driven, highly syncopated record overflowing with beautiful harmonies and some noodly guitars. You can listen to the record in its entirety on Spotify. "The Socialites" stands out as my favorite track so far, one I haven't really been able to turn off for the last...

Someone on Wikipedia Doesn't Like Amy Winehouse

The first anniversary of Amy Winehouse's death is fast approaching. Since I myself just turned 28, I was celebrating not making it into the "27 Club" and decided to peruse Wikipedia's entry on the concept. There is a list of musicians who've kicked the bucket before their 28th birthdays, complete with their dates and cause of death, what they're famous for, and how many days they had been 27 before they died.

New Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City song is pure summer delight

Dear reader,

R.I.P. Donna Summer (1948-2012)

Disco may have started out its brief life as dance music promoted by DJs in gay NYC clubs, where it was difficult to find live bands who would actually show up and play. As it gained strength in the late ’70s, it slapped lingering hippie sensibilities right in the face; this was music for dancing, not for introspection. Let’s not sit around contemplating the greatness of artists. Let’s do a line, get up and shake our asses until we collapse,...

Chiddy Bang's video for "Mind Your Manners" is pretty much amazing

Hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang have released the video for "Mind Your Manners," the second single off full-length debut Breakfast. Yes, the record is called Breakfast. The track samples heavily from Icona Pop's dreamy little tune "Manners," but it's all good. This video is somewhat of an experiment into the uses of 360-degree photography. Check it out below:

Tomorrow is Record Store Day!

Are your wallets full in anticipation of tomorrow's record-buying bonanza? Let's hope so, because the cup of vinyl in Connecticut definitely runneth over. This week we directed you to some of our favorite local record shops

Weird Al to make fun of stuff from Waterbury's Palace Theater stage

Fans of polka and pop-culture parodies rejoice: Weird Al will play the Palace Theater in Waterbury on May 13!What would pop music be like if these popstars weren't at risk of being given the old Weird Al send-up?

Tonight at BAR: Aunt Martha

As if no cover charge wasn't reason enough to head to BAR tonight for Manic Productions' weekly show installment, here's another: Aunt Martha is playing tonight. Who's Aunt Martha? Aunt Martha is a great folky, alt-country band I had the pleasure of catching down in Austin at SxSW last week. Randomly and by accident, in fact.