Acoustic Americana Music Guide & fresh News, March 19 to 31 (and beyond)
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Tied to the Tracks
ACOUSTIC AMERICANA
MUSIC GUIDE & NEWS
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MARCH 19 through 31 events (and beyond, through 2010)
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NEWS FEATURES:
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1) SPRING MUSIC FESTIVALS START ON FIRST DAY OF SPRING
The annual TEMECULA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, with nationally-touring acts Bluegrass Etc, and Silverado, and plenty more first-class musicians, including Sligo Rags, is this weekend in Old Town Temecula. Most of it is FREE. There are two official stages with continuous free entertainment and lots of smaller indoor and outdoor venues. First shows both days are at 11 am, there’s a Saturday night concert ($15) and a Sunday afternoon matinee ($5) in the Temecula Theater, a fine venue for music. See the listings in the Guide, both days, for more.
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2) GUIDE’S RADIO & TV LISTINGS NOW IN SEPARATE PAGES
It’s a mark of success when you get too big to be included with something else – unless you’re dieting, that is. The Guide has continuously expanded our listings of acoustic music radio / web radio and TV shows that feature performance-interviews with musicians, and other select acoustic music shows on radio and TV. And that expansion was requiring waaay too much scrolling to get past, before you reached each day’s write-ups for the live music performances in concert venues and wherever else.
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So, starting with this edition, each day’s listings feature a link to get to all the radio and TV shows that are available that day – and it lets us use the main edition of the Guide to get right to that day’s live concerts, club gigs, festivals, and more. We aren’t bringing you less, just dividing each day to continue to offer more.
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3) REGISTER TO COMPETE IN THE 50th TOPANGA BANJO-FIDDLE CONTEST
The annual event, at the Paramount Movie Ranch, Agoura Hills, California (this year on May 16) has been called the finest one-day traditional music festival anywhere, with great acts in addition to its top-notch competitions in a number of categories, including instruments, bands, and vocals. Registrar Joy Felt tells us, “Contestant Registration is half over and half of the competition slots have been filled. We’re going to celebrate our 50th year! Imagine it – and be part of the celebration. The Contestant Registration form is available at selected music stores and on our website at www.topangabanjofiddle.org.”
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She adds, “Remember VOLUNTEERS get in free.”
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Plus, this year brings the option to purchase your tickets in advance at a significant discount, at www.topangabanjofiddle.org/purchase_tix.html. Contestants can purchase discount advance tickets with their mail-in registration by sending a separate check and self-addressed stamped-envelope indicating the number and category of tickets desired.
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If you are thinking of competing, don’t dawdle. Categories fill-up, plus, there have been some changes, so you’ll need time to read the “Contestant FAQ’s” carefully.
Joy adds, “If you cannot find the answer to your specific question on our website, please use the email addresses under the category of your question (ie: info, registrar, volunteer) or call the Hotline at 818-382-4819 and leave a message. [The web site has]
information on our fine line-up of performers and activities, the Contestant Registration Form and Volunteer Questionnaire. [We’re] looking forward to having you enjoy the day with us!”
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4) ANOTHER HAITI RELIEF BENEFIT SHOW, MARCH 19
It’s a benefit and a “SHOW-OF-THE-WEEK” pick on Fri, March 19, at 8 pm, when The CALIFORNIA COWBOY BAND plus CHRIS & THOMAS opening, perform at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N Lake Av, Altadena; info www.coffeegallery.com; reservations, 626-398-7917.
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Steve Deming of the CALIFORNIA COWBOY BAND tells us, “We have made arrangements with the owner, Bob Stane, to contribute half of our fee for the evening to the Haiti Relief Fund. If you don’t have our new CD yet, now is the time to purchase one through CD Baby.com, as we, and they have agreed to send a dollar of each purchase to the Haiti relief as well.”
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CALIFORNIA COWBOY BAND’s new CD, “Riding Catalina Again,” is somethin’ special, and in the Top 20 in the Western Music Chart. (Your editor heard the the final mixes when the band first heard them, and immediately predicted success.) The band recently recorded a performance for “The Heart of Western Music” for airing on nationwide cable TV on April 1.
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CHRIS & THOMAS are favorites at McCabe’s who have played the CGB before, and they impress audiences everywhere. Tix, $18.
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5) MICHELE VREELAND RADIO INTERVIEW
L.A.-based singer-songwriter Michele Vreeland is building a good fan base, and recently, she did an interview on “Women’s Radio.” Topics include working the maze of the music industry as an indie. Michele says, “I think it turned out pretty good..hehe.” Check it out at www.womensradio.com/articles/Michele-Vreeland‘s-Indie-Approach-to-Making-Big-Waves-in-LA-+-SXSW-2010/4619.html
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6) A THOUGHT FOR ALL THOSE TEA-BAGGERS…
“America has been called a melting pot, but it seems better to call it a mosaic, for in it each nation, people or race which has come to its shores has been privileged to keep its individuality, contributing at the same time its share to the unified pattern of a new nation.” – King Baudouin of Belgium (1930-1993)
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RECENT NEWS FEATURES:
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The March 13 News Features are available at
http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/acoustic-americana-music-guide-march-13.html
The topics are:
1) ST. PATRICK’S DAY IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17…
2) AZTEC CALENDAR’S NEW YEAR: A TIME OF MUSIC, CONTEMPLATION, MORE
3) TIME, AND WHYS AND WHEREFORES OF IT…
4) MUSIC SHOWS ON PBS? MUST BE PLEDGE-DRIVE TIME…
5) ANOTHER HAITI RELIEF BENEFIT SHOW, MARCH 19
6) OTHER NEWS?
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RECENT GUEST EDITORIALS:
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L.A.-based musician and expert on the subject MICHAEL HERALDA always presents a compelling and informative performance, and his written piece on the Mexica New Year is fascinating, spiritual, and a must-read for cultural literacy. It’s our guest editorial, by Michael, at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/03/aztec-calendars-new-year-time-of-music.html. Michael has done musical and spoken word excerpts from his compelling “Aztec Stories” presentation on radio’s “Tied to the Tracks,” including music on original and traditional Native American instruments.
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Did you see our GUEST EDITORIAL in February 2010 by award-winning musician FREEBO? He wrote an essay on climate change that’s worth a read, and we presented it in the Guide. It’s entertaining and thoughtful, and takes it to the “deniers” in right-wing media. It’s at http://acousticamericana.blogspot.com/2010/02/climate-change-by-freebo-special-to.html
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Entire contents copyright (c) © 2010, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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Updated March 19, 2010; recurring events included through Wednesday, March 31, with updated listings of many upcoming events through the rest of 2010.
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FIND ALL the acoustic gigs, concerts, festivals, radio shows, and more, in the GUIDE, at www.acousticamericana.blogspot.com
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Entire contents copyright (c) © 2010, Larry Wines. All rights reserved.
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