Blog: Gulf Coast Bands

GuitarSite.com is up to it again and have just announced the return of their Ugliest Guitar Awards. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder – but seriously what could some people be beholden to when they come up with some of the strange custom guitar modifications we see on the web these days? Although GuitarSite.com took a break from exposing aspiring custom luthiers in 2009, previous years the awards came with names like "The Texas Guitar Massacre (Worst of 2005)", "Frankenstrat (Worst of 2006)", "The London Axe Murders (Worst of 2007)", and [...]

12 Stones announced today that the band has parted ways with Wind-Up Records after 9 years. The band stated "We felt it was time for a change. We have a vision for this band that we feel is best pursued elsewhere." From Mandeville, LA, 12 Stones signed to Wind-Up Records in 2001 after forming 15 months earlier. In their 10 year career, 12 Stones has sold over 2 million singles and albums collectively, won a Grammy Award for Paul's contribution to the single "Bring Me To Life" from Evanescence (which went on to sell a million singles and [...]

JanSport, the original outdoor gear Brand that equips people globally with quality backpacks, travel gear and collegiate apparel, today announced its third annual Battle of the Bands competition in conjunction with Sonicbids, the website that helps bands get gigs and promoters book the right bands. Now through Nov. 1, 2010, amateur, unsigned bands who have submitted to SXSW are invited to submit a song, photo, video and bio for the chance to win the JanSport Battle of the Bands contest. Once you've submitted to SXSW at www.sonicbids.com/sxsw , you will receive further instructions from Sonicbids on [...]

Statement from Meriwether vocalist I know that rumors have begun to circulate about the state of Meriwether, so I thought I'd let everyone know exactly what is going on. After seven wonderful years together, Josh and Steve have decided to depart from the band. As we have grown so close together as friends over such a long time, we have also evolved individually. Also, Sam recently got an offer to tour with the band 10 Years and has decided to pursue that opportunity. Skip and I, however, don't plan on ending our tenure as band [...]

A new start-up called " RootMusic " allows bands to add "myspace like" features to your Facebook page. Hopefully this is the nail in the coffin for music on MySpace. Die MySpace.

Website: http://www.guitarcenter.com Guitar Center, the world's largest musical instrument retailer, today announced that Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record with Slash, a first-of-its-kind unsigned band competition, has received more than 8,000 submissions from unsigned bands across the country, in its first month alone. The competition provides emerging artists the chance to win the ultimate career-altering opportunity: record a 3-song EP with legendary producer, Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses, Motley Crue, Megadeth) and have Slash write, record and perform on the winning artists' single. Through April 30th, 2010, unsigned bands across the United States [...]

Gibson Guitar, the world's premiere musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology, is proud to announce the highly anticipated launch of the Gibson Guitar App. This free to download App will be available exclusively for all Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users directly from the Apple App Store 25th February 2010. This is one App every guitarist and fan of Gibson Guitar must own. Over the past two years over 3 Billion Apps have been downloaded around the world, the Gibson Guitar App cements Gibson's reputation as the industry's leader in innovation and music technology. The [...]

Indiegrrl Women in the Arts nonprofit announces that the 2010 Indiegrrl International Music & Arts Conference & Festival is set to take place in Knoxville, TN this year on August 19 to 22 with the theme "Taking It To The Streets". A festival style format for showcases has been added to the event this year to bring more public awareness to our selected performing artists by putting showcases in downtown Knoxville, Old City, and Market Square area venues and galleries. Some of these showcases will have live TV streaming on the internet through KnoxIvi 11 O'clock Rock, and main stream [...]

Music site www.whotune.com will offer unsigned artists the opportunity to be seen by record company executives, managers, promoters and fans of music at the upcoming SXSW Festival in Austin, TX. Artists can use the company's 'Jam Cam' to perform LIVE via webcam and be seen on the big screens at the whotune booth at SXSW. To perform all you need to do is register at whotune.com and schedule a time on the Jam Cam scheduler. See www.whotune.com .

Barbecue Championship Hog Wild Festival , Mobile, Mar. 12-13; www.bbqmobile.net , 251-479-4900 This event at the Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds includes live music, barrel racing and cooking demonstrations. Gulf Coast Zydeco Music & Crawfish Festival , Daphne, May 14-16; 251-626-5300, www.gulfcoastzydecomusicfestiv al.com Dancing, Cajun food and zydeco bands.

C. D. Harvill trendi10.com This past week I had the opportunity to meet with someone who is, arguably, one of the best guitarists to come out of the Gulf Coast. Many along the Florida-Alabama shore may have heard of Guthrie Trapp. From a young age, Guthrie, was intrigued with music. He grew up listening not to the radio, but his family's collection of bluegrass, folk, and rock and roll records. While hanging around his uncle, who was a self-taught musician, he started playing [...]

This list is quite long so........ http://www.nojazzfest.com/ WEEKEND ONE (April 23, 24, 25) Lionel Richie, Allman Brothers Band, My Morning Jacket, Anita Baker, Dr. John, Darius Rucker, The Black Crowes, Steel Pulse, Johnny Lang, Band of Horses, The Levon Helm Band, Drake, Keely Smith, Baaba Maal, George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, Imagination Movers, Ledisi, King Sunny Ade & His African Beats, Better Than Ezra, Blind Boys of Alabama, Elvin Bishop, funky Meters, Sax for Stax featuring Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, and Jeff Lorber, Marcia Ball, Shawn [...]

Less Than Jake will be headlining at the House of Blues in New Orleans on 12.10.09. This will be an all ages show. Doors open at 4:30. Tickets are $20 and $15.50. The concert is in support of their most recent release GNV Fla. An added bonus will be the a pre-show screening of Van's Warped Tour 15th Anniversary Celebration which is scheduled for release on DVD and CD in march. Also performing will be Cage and The Swellers. For more info call 504.310.4999 or click here .

Driven Productions, Inc. is proud to present the third annual X&Y Fest on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 from 2:00 - 11PM at Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida. This is the premier music festival for Generations X&Y, featuring 10 bands - 5 Gen X and 5 Gen Y. X&Y Fest 2010 will bring together 2 generations over 1 great day of music. Bands: Visit www.xyfest.com now to submit to perform. Solo artists, duos and groups of all genres are encouraged to apply. Why perform at X&Y Fest? [...]

The Nashville Songwriters Association International ( NSAI ) has a newly formed MS Gulf Coast chapter. Never heard of NSAI? According to their mission statement they consist of "…a body of creative minds, including songwriters from all genres of music, professional and amateur, who are committed to protecting the rights and future of the profession of songwriting…" As the only active chapter in the state they will be holding a Songwriters Showcase on December 1st at Coffee Fusion in D'Iberville at 7pm.

WeatherStar is giving away their new EP (produced by Greg Dunn of Moving Mountains ) on purevolume .

For 25 years the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival has been rocking the Florida/Alabama coast, and this year is no exception. Running for two weekends, the festival started Thursday night and will run till Sunday the 22nd. The festival offers workshops, performances from a wide array of known artist and open mic opportunities for budding songwriters. Multiple venues are listed with a schedule of acts on the festival's website . A few of the venues, including the festival's birthplace, the Flora-Bama, Janna's Market & Deli, Pirate's Cove, and the Silver Moon, Then, of course, there are venues, [...]

Join the Just Surrender mailing list and get a free acoustic version of a new song, "Burning Up." Another new song, "On My Own," can be heard on the band's myspace .

Innerpartysystem has released their 'Winter 2009 Mixtape;' you can hear a clip of it here . If you sign up for their email list , you can download the mixtape in its entirety.

Converse, Journey, Guitar Center and OurStage.com have teamed up to offer a great opportunity for bands on the rise. The Get Out of Your Garage Contest offers several prizes and tons of free band exposure to anyone who participates. Last year's winner, Flying Machines (who you can see in our mixed notes section of this month's issue), is now signed to EMI and is constantly on tour. This is a great FREE opp, so submit your band before the Nov. 22 deadline. For more information simply visit Ourstage.com/go/getoutofthegar age .