If you love ABBA or even think you might like ABBA then this will be a night to remember. Its OK to let the joy into your life and dance your cares away. Take a chance, be a dancing Queen!
Texas has more than its share of proud traditions, but none prouder than the remarkable depth of its pool of storytellers. From Larry McMurtry to Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Cormac McCarthy to Ray Wylie Hubbard, the Lone Star state has been produced a stunning array of folks who’ve used both pen and song to convey tales that are at once universal and redolent of the land of their creation.
With his riveting solo debut, Your Dog, Champ, Brent Best makes a strong case for inclusion in that select group. The Slobberbone frontman has spent the past two decades proving his mettle as a formidable rock frontman, capable of cutting to the quick with a fierce vocal and delivering the sort of sharp-tongued wit that got the band name-checked by Stephen King (who named their “Gimme Back My Dog” one of the three greatest rock songs of all time).
While Your Dog, Champ retains much of that band’s steeliness, Best presents the stories – actually one long and winding story told in a dozen parts – with a disarming simplicity, largely swathed in acoustic instruments and spare arrangements that whisper more than they shout, shimmer more than they glare.
“I come from a background where no matter how much you’re bearing your soul, you can always hide behind this wall of noise,” says Best. “And I didn’t want to do that here. I tried to make it very sparse. At first, I thought it would just be me and a guitar, but I started thinking of things I wanted to add – and who I wanted to bring in to add them. I knew that I wanted things to be quiet, though. I wanted to let the songs breathe.”
And breathe, they do. Accompanied by an impressive cast of players, including Ralph White of the estimable Bad Livers on fiddle, Petra Kelly (Hares on the Mountain, The Angelus) on violin and Andy Rodgers (Boxcar Bandits) on banjo. The players weave a web of sound that’s hypnotic without being overbearing – all the better to underscore Best’s narrative about a family with deep roots and dark secrets, strong bonds and fraying nerves.
“Early on, I jettisoned the idea that this was just a bunch of songs,” the Denton-based singer-songwriter says of the loose narrative that connects the disc’s dark and emotionally stormy songs. “Even though I didn’t go into this intending to write a whole album of things that were connected, it didn’t take me that long to realize that the baby brother in ‘Robert Cole’ shows up again, angry, in ‘Good Man Now.’ A lot of the characters keep returning.”
Best credits his late friend Larry Brown – author of such acclaimed novels as Big Bad Love and Joe – with inspiring him to take his writing in this deeper, darker direction. The influence of what’s come to be called “grit lit” is palpable in songs like the wistful “Aunt Ramona” (which chronicles a road trip with a dying loved one from the perspective of a wide eyed child) and “Daddy Was a Liar” (an unflinching portrait of a paternal figure whose violence resonates long after the fact).
The characters that populate Your Dog, Champ (a title taken from a line in “Robert Cole”) are vivid in the most cinematic of senses. The rueful villain who drives the beautifully bleak “Tangled” (which Best concedes was the hardest of the songs to write) burrows into the memory bank with a headstrong intensity, while the knowing narrator of “Career Day” (a guy who knows all about forking paths) leaves an impression that’d do Raymond Chandler proud.
“I don’t think I could have written these songs 15 years ago, or even ten,” says Best. “Your perspective changes as life goes on. You start to see consequences. Just when you think you have a handle, life throws you a curve.”
That was certainly the case in the making of Your Dog, Champ. Best took his first stab at the recording several years ago, then stepped back, thinking he hadn’t separated himself sufficiently from Slobberbone – which still commands a solid following when reconvening on the road. He shelved that effort, then nearly completed a more fully-realized album that he lost when his hard drive gave out – a disaster he can laugh at now, but one that he admits emotionally sidelined him for a spell.
“I forced myself to go as far as I could with this record,” he says. “When I was signed, there was always something confrontational – it was like ‘you want your album, here it is.’ But with this, I was making it for myself. I didn’t have someone cracking the whip to finish, so I was able to take as long as I wanted and get exactly what I wanted. That got me to dig myself into a hole a few times, but when I got out, it was really worth the trip.”
One spin is all it will take to make you agree that both the trip and the destination really are well worth it.
Chase & Ovation, the world's premier tribute to the music of Prince, takes you through every musical period of the Purple One's expansive career. This High-Energy, Musically Perfected, *LIVE!* Tribute & SALUTE to The Music of *PRINCE* has captivated audiences in sold out venues worldwide since its opening night in 2006. For over 15 Years, Chase & Ovation has brought together loving Prince fans from all over the world performing hits from the early years, along with tributes to The Time, Sheila E., and a journey through some of Music’s GREATEST history, Chase & Ovation delivers it ALL!
“In the decade before his passing, Prince allowed me to travel the world and perform in Tribute and in Reverence to his music. In particular, over the past six years, Chase & Ovation has been allowed and extremely blessed to perform a monthly concert at Prince’s favorite hometown/local live music venue (‘Bunkers Music Bar’) located in our hometown and in the heart of the North Loop of Minneapolis. I have always done this with Prince’s knowledge under the name ‘Chase & Ovation,’ and am frequently joined on stage with many of Prince’s former band mates. I wake up filled with gratitude every day and give thanks in prayer for the gift of music that Prince has given to me, but MORE importantly the gift that he has given to the world!”
Let us always remember to Celebrate Love… Life… And the Music of PRINCE!
~Tommy Chase~
Chase & Ovation: “A Salute to the Music of PRINCE!”
Chris Hawkey, the self-described luckiest man in the world, was born and raised In Union City, a small town that rests on the state-line that separates Ohio from Indiana. He spent his youth competing in a wide variety of sports while dreaming of seeing the world through the windows of a tour bus. Having joined his first band at the age of 15, Chris began his pursuit of “the dream” while still in high school, playing “every bar and city festival within a 100 mile radius”.
After graduating from Mississinawa Valley High School, Chris attended a broadcasting school in Dayton, Ohio with the idea of pursuing a career in radio while continuing to chase his musical dreams. The radio business would take him from Ohio to Indiana to Virginia, and then to his current home state of Minnesota. It would also lead him to Kim, his wife of 22 years with whom he has two children, Alex and Abigail. As his broadcasting career flourished, Hawkey continued to perform with various bands on evenings and weekends while also releasing two well-received solo rock records in the early 2000s.
Hawkey’s big radio break came late in 2001 when he was hired to co-host and produce the Powertrip Morning Show on sports giant KFAN Radio. During its 15 year run, the morning show has become the number one rated morning radio program in the Twin Cities and is now syndicated to multiple cities across the upper midwest on the Fan Radio Network. Hawkey also produces the radio broadcast of Minnesota Vikings NFL football games for the Vikings Radio Network and is a regular contributor to the VIkings Entertainment Network.
The big music break came in the form of a phone call from an old friend in 2010. That phone call led to a run of hits and national acclaim as a member of the group Rocket Club. Hawkey was given the opportunity to sing on three songs that would spend time on the Billboard National Country charts. Those hits, and four full albums of other fantastic songs, would be heard by thousands of fans on stages all over the country as Rocket Club played concerts with some of the country music world’s biggest stars.
In 2014, Chris launched the next phase of his career with the release of his first solo country record. Filled with high-quality songs produced in Nashville and written by some of the world’s best songwriters, the 8 song self-titled collection would find a highly receptive audience and radio traction with the hit single “My Kinda Crazy.”
2015 saw the release of the CD “Country Underneath”, a powerhouse compilation of songs that would yield three radio hits including the nationally charting single “Favorite Song”. The run of shows supporting this second solo country release would last for 18 months and see the Chris Hawkey Band play to record crowds all over the United States as both headliner and direct support for Country Music Superstars.
On October 1 2016, Chris Hawkey released the single “Good Liar”, a fantastic song written by country-music legend Brett James that found immediate radio airplay. The song was the first release from the forthcoming album “Shine”, which will be released in late 2016.
“I named the record “Shine” after seeing a photo of our appearance at the Ramble Jam Country Music Festival in late 2016,” Hawkey said. “The photo, taken by Kelly Kamish of Kix Photography, showed a perfect moment in time. The sun was going down, the crowd was singing, and the smile on my face was like a window into my soul. I couldn’t tell what was shining more brightly, the sun or my smile. Those moments are examples of pure joy. Moments when I feel perfectly content. Moments when I can feel Love Shining at me from every directions. And I am doing my best to shine it right back. That’s the feeling I think we captured on this record.”
2019 Midwest CMA
“Tribute Act Of The Year”
Whether you are an ‘ol timer that grew up listening to Mr. Cash in your tractor or a young soldier driving your tank across the deserts of the Middle East with the Man in Black in your headphones, the Church of Cash will bring his music, with style and energy to fans everywhere. What the Church of Cash has that no one else can match is their loyalty to the song and the message that Johnny left to all of us. The band merely keeps this word alive with a youthful spirit that has entertained audiences completely.
Michael McGregor
Michael@hellobooking.com
651-647-4464 ext 2
40 years later… just like one of their fan favorite songs “Turn My Head”, The Daisy Dillman Band is still turning heads!
Far from Nashville and well before alternative country, or whatever the music is being called these days — 5 guys from the western suburbs of Minneapolis created a beloved blend of country, rock and folk music in 1976 that they soon exported to the nation. Then like now the band’s combined heart-breaking 3 and 4-part harmonies and five-star musicianship that made them a top draw in Minnesota as well as the rest of the country.
Named after the 104-year-old grandmother of Stymie’s (Bass player/Vocals) wife, the group’s electrifying sound, heavy rhythm section and those sweet harmonies earn them a huge following and in 1978 a national record deal with United Artists. Buoyed by Minnesota Music Awards for Best Band and Best Vocal Group, the DDB took to the road that same year in their customized, ’57 Greyhound Scenic Cruiser they named “Melbourne”.
The band’s first single “Border Bound” played on the radio nationally and in Europe. On tour, the Daisy Dillman Band racked up thousands of miles playing concerts from coast to coast, north-to south and east to west. Back home they continued to sell out big nightclubs like Doc Holidays, the Cabooze and others in the region and welcomed their hometown fans with a “live” studio concert at the PBS affiliate KTCA. In 1981 the band recorded its second album, this time for RCA Records at the legendary Muscle Shoals Studios with world renowned producer Rick Hall. Their single “Lovin’ the Night Away” rises to the top 100 on the Billboard charts.
Recently and by request another chapter has been added to the DDB legacy… “Daisy Dillman Acoustic”, bringing pure 3-part harmony and acoustic instruments to an “unplugged” and intimate setting, performing their own and other iconic country-rock and folk classics.
In 2015 the band released their 3rd album and single titled “Radio” to the delight of Dillman fans everywhere.
This year with their 2016 tour, celebrating “40 Years Together”, they’re still making new heart-felt memories for old friends, longtime fans as well as a whole new generation of music fans – who love the sweet, country-rock and folk sounds of one of Minnesota’s most cherished groups…”The Daisy Dillman Band”.
DEKE DICKERSON
KING OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD
Deke Dickerson is one of America’s musical treasures. As an entertainer and musician, he has toured the world and established himself as one of the foremost purveyors of roots music,headlining festivals from Las Vegas to Finland. As a writer and music historian, he is well known for his regular column in Guitar Player magazine and recently authored two enormous essay projects for Bear Family’s 2007 Merle Haggard box sets. As an entrepreneur, Deke has partnered with Hallmark Guitars to produce the Deke Dickerson model guitar, as unique in its design as its namesake. As a behind-the scenes mover and shaker, Deke has recorded songs that have been featured in a variety of movies, TV shows, and radio programs, from the Oscar-winning movie Sideways to HBO’s documentary Dirty Driving: Thundercars of Indiana and the hugely popular XM satellite radio show Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan. For this last, Deke not only contributed background guitar music but was also interviewed and quoted by Bob Dylan. Deke’s latest project is his new studio album, King of the Whole Wide World. Like his previous albums it’s a musical journey through the twisted roots of Americana, but this time the roots go deeper and further than ever before.
He comments, “People love to label me rockabilly, but that’s just a small fraction of what I do. There are a couple of great rockabilly songs on the new album, but there are a lot of other styles as well, from bluegrass (“Boone County Blues”) to western swing (“Misshapen Hillbilly Gal”) to Memphis soul (“Make Way for a Better Man”) to doo-wop and rhythm and blues (“Itchin’ for My Baby”). The title track (“King of the Whole Wide World”) could even be called old timey; it’s a tongue-in-cheek, autobiographical song about being a rich man without the constraints of money or fame. I decided the song sounded better with some 78 rpm record noise dubbed onto it. Call me sentimental, but I really think music like that sounds better with a little grit.” For the recording process, Deke enlisted the help of the many friends he’s made during his musical journeys. The core band consists of “Crazy” Joe Tritschler, the new guitar whiz-kid that has proved a fan favorite, as well as his old friends Chris “Sugarballs” Sprague on drums, Wally Hersom and Jimmy Sutton on bass, and Carl Sonny Leyland on the piano. Guest artists include the western swing band the Lucky Stars, who back up Deke on the politically incorrect (but very funny) “Misshapen Hillbilly Gal,” and Mary Huff of Southern Culture on the Skids, who contributes high harmony vocals on the honky-tonk number “Do You Think of Me.” All in all, King of the Whole Wide World proves why Deke Dickerson could be called the Renaissance man of roots music. Rising above the numerous revivalists and cartoon like retro bands on today’s scene, he has forged something new, exciting, and original, utilizing all the great American musical styles of the last century to take his musical journey forward, not backward. 2008 will find Deke on the road promoting King of the Whole Wide World. Tours across the United States will be supplemented with trips abroad to Australia, Europe, and even Estonia in the former Soviet Union! Perhaps the title King of the Whole Wide World isn’t so tongue-in cheek after all.
MORE ABOUT DEKE DICKERSON…
Deke formed Untamed Youth at age 17 in his hometown of Columbia, Missouri: the legendary surf-garage band that has released a total of eight full-length albums. In 1991 he moved to Los Angeles and joined Dave Stuckey to form the Dave & Deke Combo, a partnership that yielded two albums and a much-touted 2005 reunion at major rockabilly festivals. Embarking on a solo career in 1997, Deke was immediately signed to HighTone Records and released three albums for the label, touring nationally as a solo act and as an opening band for Cake, Mike Ness, and the Reverend Horton Heat (who has written on his website: “Deke Dickerson is the best rockabilly guitarist in the world!”). In recent years Deke has also toured nationally as lead singer for the legendary instrumental band Los Straitjackets and with the great western guitar-and-steel-guitar duo Biller & Wakefield. He has toured as a stripped-down rockin’ three-piece band and as a swingin’ rhythm and blues fivesome with saxophones and piano. On his many recordings, he has had guests as diverse as the doo-wop group the Calvanes and punk guitar legend Billy Zoom. Playing an average of 225 shows every year throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia, Deke spends his rare moments at home with recording projects (he owns his own label, Ecco-Fonic Records) and writing articles and liner notes for music magazines and CD box set reissues.
Born in Iowa and known as Minneapolis’ best dressed songwriter, Doug Collins has been called “one of the most brilliant songwriters to emerge from the Twin Cities in nearly two decades” (Southern Minn Scene). A born showman, he weaves in wry humor with soulful singing and emotionally power-packed songs. His hooky mix of Beatles-esque pop and classic country are highlighted in his energetic shows – both solo and with his ace band The Receptionists. His last two CD's were voted "Best of the Year" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Good Sad News was voted #3 best American release in Spain’s Ruta66 Magazine.
Doug spent most of his youth holed up in his parents’ basement, playing guitar and pouring over Beatles’ lyrics. After flunking out of college, he started writing songs, always knowing that that was what he was destined to do. He went on to perform with various bands in his twenties, but took a break after his son was born, turning his pen to playwriting and his guitar to playing in cover bands. Eventually he started writing more songs than plays and then in 2010, he returned his focus to songwriting, slowly building up a band of top-notch country, roots and rock players, now known as The Receptionists.
The first seeds of The Receptionists began when bassist/singer Charlie Varley started playing with Doug almost 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until Doug focused again on his solo songwriting that the band filled out after drummer, singer and songwriter Billy Dankert (Gear Daddies) approached Doug after one of his shows and started sitting in with them in 2015. Pedal steel player Randy Broughten (Gear Daddies, Trailer Trash, Cactus Blossoms) recorded on one of the band’s records and after playing just one gig, became a member of the band. This version of The Receptionists have been making music together since 2018, and since then they have been tearing up the Midwest music scene, sharing the stage with such acts as The Nadas and Rosie Flores. They are currently touring behind their new, highly anticipated country album Too Late at Night.
The Receptionists are (L-R): Randy Broughten (pedal steel), Charlie Varley (bass, vocals), Doug Collins (vocals, guitar), Billy Dankert (drums, vocals)
More than 200 shows a year. Jubilant fans who follow him from Minnesota to Mexico. More than 70,000 albums sold. A crushing live-performance DVD. And now even a state-of-the-art nightclub named after one of his songs — all without the support of a major record label. Meet GB Leighton, a band named after one of the region’s most incendiary live performers and consistently solid songwriters, Brian Leighton.
Through more than a decade and nine studio albums, Leighton and his six-piece band have been tearing up rock clubs, church fundraisers and even a few fan’s living rooms with a slew of songs that connect with the heart and couples singing along out on the dance floor. “A man of the people” is a phrase usually reserved for statesmen and politicians, but for Leighton, whose politics are more conservative and libertarian, it’s a fitting description when you see him in action working a joint, or on his 2006 DVD, Live at the Minnesota Music Café. Leighton delivers that inescapable rock ‘n’ roll spirit night after night. “He’s always been a great songwriter and performer, like a preacher almost who commands an audience. That’s the place I’m coming from. But at the end of the day, I’m just a common guy, a working class kid from a Twin Cities suburb who loves to put on a good show and hopefully write some good songs in between.” In Acapulco or Pickle Park, connecting with people still privy to a pretty good rock ‘n’ roll thing Leighton’s countless live gigs have that golden glow of legendary status about them throughout the Midwest. But he’s also done his share of non-conventional gigs at the Minnesota Governor’ Mansion, church festivals, in fan’ living rooms and at a special show in March 2006 for Minnesota National Guard troops who were shipping-off to serve in the Middle East from Camp Shelby in Mississippi. In January 2006 GBL also began the first annual trip -with fans- to Acapulco. More than 120 people joined him and the GB Leighton Band for a week. His tenth album, Shake Them Ghosts, is Leighton’s finest effort to date. Longtime fans wonder if this is the one to break him out nationally. But whether or not that happens, Brian’s doing what he does best, rocking the house. “This is the only thing I ever wanted to do. I don’t see stopping or changing it up no matter where it takes me and the band.”
Gear Daddies from Austin, Minnesota featuring members Randy Broughten (electric and steel guitar), Nick Ciola (bass), Billy Dankert (drums and vocals), and Martin Zellar (guitar and vocals). Their most mainstream success was when they played Late Night with David Letterman in 1991. Ciola and Dankert did not play on the show because many bands simply sat in with Paul Shaffer and The World’s Most Dangerous Band when playing the show. Zellar had this to say of the experience: “I was so nervous, and it happened so quick. I couldn’t tell you what the hell happened. I got done, and I was walking back and said to Randy (Broughton), ‘Did I sing all the words? Did I do that?’ When I watched it that night in the hotel room ( the Omni in New York), I had no recollection of having lived it.”
Kat Perkins most recently reached the TOP 5 on Season 6 of NBC’s ‘THE VOICE”. Hailed by ‘THE VOICE’ music director Paul Mirkovich as “The best female rock singer we’ve ever had on the show…” Kat’s career has taken her all over the world, having performed alongside acts like Bon Jovi and The Foo Fighters to name a few.
She Haw is a lively stage production set in the rural community of Kornfield Kounty. Offering a blend of pop culture sketches, uproarious comedy, and exceptional female vocal performances. With a mix of comedy, music, and audience engagement, the show pays homage to the classic TV series Hee. Haw while adding a contemporary flair. Audiences can expect to laugh, sing along, and reminisce about family nights spent enjoying similar entertainment. Featuring talented actors, comedians, and musicians. She Haw promises an unforgettable experience!
Los Angeles-based musician Kim Lenz has been cultivating her take on rockabilly since 1998, releasing three albums, including a pair for Hightone Records – one of the most influential labels in the genre –and playing hundreds of dates around the world. Already a recognized force on the roots music scene, Lenz is now poised for a breakthrough with her upcoming album Follow Me, scheduled for release on August 20th via Riley Records.
Follow Me stays true to the genre and its traditions, but Lenz also allows her recent life experiences to show through in a way that she hasn’t attempted before. While growing up in San Diego and Phoenix, Lenz was a fan of Blondie, The Pretenders, X, Big Star, and The Buzzcocks.
“I’ve always had a penchant for good pop music,” she says, but Lenz really fell in love when she moved to Los Angeles and discovered the burgeoning roots music scene there.
“It was pretty small back then,” Lenz says of the community at that time. “Big Sandy, Dave & Deke, and the Revered Horton Heat were all happening there in that small scene. Everyone was looking back and taking their own stab at what they found. It was cool.” At the time, Lenz was working in an office that piped in the Pasadena public radio station KPCC throughout the day.
“That’s how I came to know the standards and classic American songwriting,” she remembers. Armed with a musical education in the works of Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer, and others, Lenz moved to Dallas to finish school, and to take a chance at becoming a performer herself, playing her first show at the Bar of Soap (bar in the front, laundromat in the back.) She immediately knew that she had found her calling.
Lenz began performing regularly around town and a year later was named the Dallas Observer’s “Female Vocalist of the Year.” Flying back to L.A, she recorded a 45 that quickly found an audience among the rockabilly scene there. The call to make an album for Hightone Records came soon after.
“It did better than anyone expected,” Lenz says of her debut album. “We toured and played about 200 dates a year for three years. We were so wild back then, when I look back, I’m surprised we survived!” Lenz then took a break to start a family, and assumed that someone else would fill her shoes while she was gone. But no one had. “I was able to pick my career back up seamlessly,” she says about returning to the road. “That is one thing about this scene. Once they love you they love you forever.”
Lenz hopes that loyalty continues with Follow Me.
“This record will seem like a departure to some people,” she says. “But, it’s really the same ingredients, just mixed up in a different way.”
Immediately after graduating from high school Martin moved to Minneapolis and formed the country-rock band The Gear Daddies with friends and fellow austinites Nick Ciola, Billy Dankert and Randy Broughten. The Gear Daddies had some success, and a lot of fun, and considered themselves lucky to have been part of the 1990’s Twin Cities music scene. They amicable parted ways in 1992. Martin went on to record and perform as a solo artist and with his band the Hardways. That’s what he continues to do, and he still has fun.
“…writers from Dylan to Springsteen, often tell us far more about the human condition by concentrating on life’s everyday moments. That’s the strength of Martin Zellar…” – Robert Hillburn, Los Angeles Times
“…he writes songs with a nakedness, perhaps, or lack of pretentiousness that’s particularly convincing.” – Gina Arnold, Creem Magazine
“Let’s get this straight: Martin Zellar is one of the country’s finest young songwriters and it’s doggone time he started getting the recognition he deserves.” – Steve Terrell, Santa Fe New Mexican
“While Zellar’s gravelly voice and gritty country-rock nicely suit the material, his songwriting is what really shines.” – Eric Fidler, Associated Press
“Talk about the most underrated songwriters of the past decade and this guy’s got to be in your first sentence.”
– Kevin O’Hare, Newhouse News Service
“His songs are just too beautiful, too fully realized to ignore.” – Austin Chronicle, Austin, Texas “… reflective country-rock musings that only barely conceal some rather world-class emotional turmoil beneath.”
– Steve Simels, Stereo Review Magazine
“Zellar’s snapshots of down-and-outers…vividly detail an entire life in under three minutes…” – Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
Eric Roberts
eric@hellobooking.com
651-647-4464 ext. 1
Hailing from Minneapolis, Rocket Club is a band of seasoned songwriters and performers known for their unforgettable live performances, rich 4-part harmonies, and a catalog of songs that can boost your spirits, break your heart, and restore your belief in the connective power of music – especially music that tells a good story.
Listeners could describe Rocket Club as Americana or Country or Rock & Roll – or any combination of the three – and they would be correct. Across its 5 albums, the band has shown a consistent ability to avoid easy labels. Their song subjects are as diverse and surprising as life itself, drawing in listeners and fans from across musical categories. But Rocket Club’s sound can perhaps best be described by their signature song, North Country. It’s both a category of music and a library of life stories told from the unique vantage point of due north.
Formed in 2008 as a casual songwriting project among friends, the band’s first self-titled album immediately caught fire with fans who recognized the unique combination of hook-laden rock with the storytelling sensibility of great country music. Things accelerated quickly in 2009 when Rocket Club – as an unsigned independent band from Minneapolis – landed on the Country Billboard Charts with their single “One More Day.”
In the years that followed, Rocket Club achieved something that no other Minnesota band has before or since: three songs on the Billboard country charts, a large and loyal Midwest following, and the opportunity to share the stage with many of Nashville’s biggest acts – and all of it as an independent act that relied entirely on their own ability to write, produce and promote the music they wanted to make and to do it their own way.
In 2023, Rocket Club launched their first album, Come On Home, and their first tour since 2014, much to the delight of the fans that have been anxious to see the band together again on stage.
Along with being a member of Kid Rock’s band ‘Twisted Brown Truckers’ for the past seven years guitarist and singer/songwriter Shannon Curfman burst upon the blues and roots rock scene in 1999 with her major-label debut for Arista Records, Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions. She has sold a quarter million albums and has been Kid Rock’s duet partner, background singer and guitarist since 2010. As an opener she has toured with Mellencamp, Buddy Guy, The Indigo Girls, ZZ Top, Page/Plant, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck and more. She has played on Letterman, Leno, Good Morning America, Rock n Roll Record Breakers and has recorded with John Fogerty, Bob Seger, Buddy Guy, Keb Mo, Kid Rock, John Mayall and Joe Bonamassa, to name a few. Shannon is an electric and commanding performer who rips solos on the guitar like one of the guys. Between Curfman’s songwriting, her saucy and demanding vocals and her scorching lead guitar Shannon is not to be missed!
Eric Roberts
eric@hellobooking.com
651-647-4464 ext. 1
The Shaun Johnson Big Band Experience (BBE) is the only group taking big band music, fusing it with modern day mixes of all genres, and making the act of giving “cool.” Created for intelligent music lovers worldwide who wish to be a part of an electric musical experience accomplishing the unexpected: reaching out in an era of people typically looking out for “number one.”
The Big Band Experience creates more than music. They create feelings. Experiences. The kind you remember as, “that unbelievable night out.” Wanna levitate off your chair with the pulse of pop? Done. Just don’t ask that they hold back the edge because THAT is what makes the Big Band Experience who they are. Big band was born out of rebellion. and we owe it to Sinatra to keep that evolution alive. Suits. Edge. Energy. Contemporary sons with big band punch.
Shaun Johnson is an Emmy-winning singer/songwriter who seemed destined for a life of music from the very beginning. “one of my earliest memories he says, “Is of performing at state fair talent shows with my little sister. We’d sing Sonny and Cher songs, a cappella, when neither of us was quite tall enough to reach the microphone.”
Originally from the small town of Saint Joseph, Iowa, Shaun attended Saint John’s University before settling in Saint Cloud, Minnesota where he began his career with the nationally known vocal group, Tonic Sol-fa. The quartet has sold nearly two million albums independently and has been featured in Newsweek and on the Today Show. Shaun is still an active member.
Wanting to bring an innovative big band experience to the audience, Shaun put together a group featuring some of the best instrumentalists and arrangers in the Midwest – guys who’ve toured with such luminaries as Aretha Franklin and Johnny Mathis, who are Music Educators of the Year and who are integral members of collegiate jazz faculties. His vision was to create a contemporary big band sound with a pop flair, honoring legends like Frank Sinatra, with a nod to Michael Buble, while giving the music his own twist performing songs ranging from the “Spiderman Theme” to originals from U.s. songwriters. The proceeds from that first small tour of holiday shows were subsequently donated to local charities. The initial tour received such overwhelming feedback that an expanded holiday tour was undertaken the following year with all proceeds again going to local charities. In 2014, with increasing presenter and fan demand the BBE added even more cities to the holiday tour and for the first time began accepting regular season shows.
Look for the BBE’s very first PBS special, “Spirit of the Seasons,” to air across North America through 2016, The Big Band Experience’s first orchestra dates in 2015, and enjoy the BBE’s very first studio recording, “What’ll I Do” (The Youtube Sessions) – currently available everywhere online and at www.bigbandexperience.com
In the beginning, in Denton, Texas sometime in the mid-90s, Slobberbone was all about playing for friends and free beer. Fortunately, their modest aspirations were quickly thwarted by the growing realization that they had something really special on their hands. Even in his earliest songs, Brent had an uncanny ability to fuse seriously deep subject matter with catchy-as-hell melodies and compelling song structures. Bassist Brian Lane, and drummer Tony Harper are a rock-solid, rhythm section and guitarist Jess Barr can pretty much do as he pleases on his instrument, his trademark being a wickedly fast solo, followed by a one-finger in the air salute to, well, himself. It’s all done with humor, of course, which is what differentiates these guys from a lot of other bands. Not that they don’t take what they do seriously, it’s just that they know that when people come out to see a band, they also want to have fun, to be released, to get rocked. One thing about Slobberbone: for all the labels and genres that critics and writers can toss at them, the band has always insisted that they are a Rock band first and foremost. From Crow Pot Pie, their critically lauded 1996 debut, to Barrel Chested (’97) to Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today (’01), the band’s first release on New West, the sound and spirit of rock ‘n’ roll has permeated the music. But if rock ‘n’ roll were a neighborhood, Slobberbone has explored and terrorized most every street, alley and cul-de-sac: Country, Punk, Pop, Soul, Metal. Those styles and influences have always been there, but over time they’ve become increasingly integrated into the fabric of the band.
The Belfast Cowboys are a nine-piece, horn-driven band from Minneapolis that specializes in the music of Van Morrison, mixing rock, blues, roots and soul sounds. Led by veteran songwriter and guitarist Terry Walsh and powered by a four-piece horn section, the Cowboys have flourished in the renowned Minnesota music scene, and have consistently packed houses and wowed crowds since 2002.
Terry Walsh got his start playing in various Twin Cities rock bands and toured as Slim Dunlap’s bass player in 1997, opening for Son Volt. But after 17 years, he almost gave it all up.
“I was very close to selling off my amp and guitars in an attempt to put away childish things and grow up,” Terry laughs. “Thankfully I got a call from my friend and booking agent Brian Swanson, who asked if I wanted to come join their ‘go nowhere, do nothing rock and roll band.’”
For a couple years, the band of friends rehearsed every Thursday, learning songs they loved. Then in spring of 2001, Terry lost his day job and learned his wife was pregnant. Brian once again prodded Terry, “I think we should put your idea about that Van Morrison band in motion.” They spent the rest of the year learning their favorite Van songs and built up an all-star band with Joe Loskota on keyboards and Vic Volare to run the horn section. Calling themselves The Belfast Cowboys, the band played their first show at the old 400 Bar on Saint Patrick’s Day 2002. Shortly before that show, Brian accepted his dream job in California. Fortunately drummer Dave Kirby’s friend, ace guitarist Dan Kowalke attended that first show and joined up. Many musicians played with the band over the first few years, and continue to do so today, but the 'A' team was soon established: Dan Kowalke on guitar and backing vocals, Joe Baumgart (bass), Dave Kirby and Dave Haugen (drums, backing vocals), Joe Loskota (keyboards, backing vocals), Paul Gronert (sax), Matt Hanzelka (trombone), Tim Martin (trumpet), Vic Volare (sax, flute) and Terry Walsh (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano).
The band has expanded its content over the years to include rock and soul covers along with Terry’s own originals, which have become fan favorites. Now a beloved staple in Minnesota, the 9-piece Belfast Cowboys, and the smaller version of the band (known as St. Dominic’s Trio), averaged over 120 shows a year before the pandemic. The bar-tested troubadours are known for playing epic sets at their weekly Minneapolis gigs and drawing large crowds to outdoor festivals. Occasionally they’ll venture beyond the Midwest to play Ireland, Phoenix, New York’s Times Square, and once opened for the band Chicago in front of 15,000 people.
St Dominic's Trio live-streams weekly shows on Facebook every Tuesday night, raising money for Walsh's nonprofit, Foothold Twin Cities. In May of 2021, the Belfast Cowboys released an expansive live from-the-studio album called "This Magic Night," proving again that it is indeed “a thoroughbred-class band” (Star Tribune) that has earned every accolade.
A "Full Contact Immersive Tribute Drama"
Right from the start when "doors open" you will know you are not in "Kansas" any longer. The sights. The sounds. The feel will be like you are at Folsom Prison on January 13th 1968. Don't mess with the guards or the warden. They have a job to do! Even the ever serious DJ/emcee Hugh Cherry has a job to do and won't let you forget it. Oh, and don't be late for "Roll Call" or you could end up in the hole!
This fun semi-immersive drama delivers a high intensity recreation of one of Johnny Cash's most important days in his musical career. Now in hind sight, it's amazing how well everything turned out as Johnny was in a pretty bad funk at the time. Johnny's first marriage was ended that exact day and this effected him deeply. The band had a hard time getting Johnny interested in recording in the studio so they decided to record LIVE in a prison. What could go wrong? Well come and find out just how drama filled this day was. The now seemingly simple act of recording a show for a record in front of a captive audience in a prison was anything but simple. The Folsom Prison Experience is directed by Stephanie Long and takes you back to this special day and gives you the drama of the day. Oh and prison inmate attire encouraged as your part is to be THE PRISONERS of Folsom Prison!
Join FPE Starring Jay Ernest from the Church of Cash. This large cast can include but not limited to or guaranteeing the following as some members may be locked up elsewhere on any given night! Look for Kat Perkins, Ryan Maddux, Dan Hopman, Ryan Nelson, our Tennessee 3 Jonathon TeBeest, Tony Wirth, Jack Mansk, the boys from Hitchville, Gracie Anderson and more!