Arctic Monkeys

Zilker Park

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Arctic Monkeys

Alex Turner: guitar/vocals
Jamie Cook: guitar
Andy Nicholson: bass (left 2006)
Matt Helders: drums
Nick O'Malley: bass

Formed back in 2002 and hailing from the High Green area of Sheffield, Arctic Monkeys were the success story of 2006. Their first two singles, 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' and 'When The Sun Goes Down' reached number one, and their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not also climbed to the top of the albums chart in its first week. It's the fastest-selling debut album in British history (as of February 2007). NME has named it the fifth-greatest UK album of all time.

The name? Says Helders: "Jamie just always wanted to be in a band called Arctic Monkeys. Which is a cool name." (Prefix Magazine).

The fame? They don't like it, still. Before they were signed, the band banned talent scouts from their shows. Like peers Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys have never seemed wholly at home in front of camera lenses and when a journalist comes a-snooping.

The band's MySpace site - "[When we went number one in England] we were on the news and radio about how MySpace has helped us. But that's just the perfect example of someone who doesn’t know what the fuck they’re talking about. We actually had no idea what it was" (Prefix Magazine)- is here. Tellingly (?), its headline reads 'Don't believe the hype'.

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Kings of Leon

Jared Followill - bass
Matthew Followill - lead guitar
Nathan Followill - drums/vocals
Caleb Followill - guitar/vocals

This is not some weird Duran Duran-style coincidence - yes, they are related. Three brothers and one cousin from Tennessee.»

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam are...

• Eddie Vedder - vocals
• Stone Gossard - guitar
• Mike McCready - guitar
• Jeff Ament - bass
• Dave Abbruzzese - drums

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Yeah Yeah Yeahs are...

• Karen O - vocals
• Nick Zinner - guitar
• Brian Chase - drums

Indie-punk with the feminine touch, all the way from the big apple.

Photo by Sonia Melot»

Thievery Corporation

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The Decemberists

Colin Meloy - vocals, guitars
Chris Funk - guitars, pedal steel
Nate Query - electric/stand-up bass
Jenny Conlee - vocals, keyboards, accordian
John Moen - drums, percussion

The Decemberists don't inhabit the same world as you I - theirs is one of gnarled seamen, Spanish child monarchs, roustabouts, vagabonds and all manner of social oddities. With a style that veers from hazy folk to rollicking indie pop, they are guided by the bespectacled Colin Meloy, a songwriter with a love of language, permanently transfixed by literary antiquity.

Their life began with the self-released 5 Songs EP in 2001 which was then put out by Hush Records a year later. In 2002 the release of their first full length, Castaways & Cutouts would cement a relationship with Kill Rock Stars who would come to release Her Majesty, The Decemberists in 2003 and Picaresque in 2005. The Tain EP, a 20 minute adaptation of an Irish folk tale, was also released in 2004 on Spanish label, Acuarela. Their fourth full-length, The Crane Wife was released in late 2006.

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Dave Matthews Band

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Ben Harper

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Andrew Bird

Andrew Bird is a classically trained violinist who cut his teeth playing for swing revivalists The Squirrel Nut Zippers, before releasing three wildly varied albums with Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire.

With the release of 2004's Weather Systems however, Bird began his solo career. With a voice like a matinee idol and a looping pedal, he creates vast and incomparable music, aglow and haunting. He met with huge critical acclaim with Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs in 2005 and when not guesting on a variety of releases (including My Morning Jacket's Z and Dosh's The Lost Take) is currently working on Armchair Apocrypha, due Spring 2007.»

Phoenix

Phoenix are...

• Thomas Mars Jr - vocals
• Christian Mazzalai - guitar
• Deck D'Arcy - bass
• Laurent Brancowitz - guitar, keyboards

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John Legend

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Coheed and Cambria

• Claudio Sanchez - vocals, guitar
• Travis Stever - guitar
• Michael Todd - bass guitar, vocals
• Josh Eppard - drums

Coheed And Cambria are a progressive rock band from North America, creating rock music with technical precision and a progessive outlook.»

Flogging Molly

Legendary Irish/American punk band, influenced by The Pogues amongst others.»

The Walkmen

Biography from walkmen.com:

The Walkmen are five friendly New Yorkers who have played rock music diligently since the 5th grade. Now they span the ages 23 and 28, and have been playing together for a little over a year. All five are originally from Washington, D.C. where they attended the same high school and played loud music in several bands.

In the spring of 2000, Walter, Matt, and Paul (whose band had recently broken up) rounded up enough investors to rent a Harlem industrial space, and convert it into a 24-track analogue recording studio. Dubbed "Marcata Recording", the new space became the birthplace and home of the Walkmen. Joining with Walter’s cousin Hamilton and his friend Peter (who had for years been slaving away in the East Village as the Recoys), the lineup was complete by the summer of 2000. Over the course of the next year the band sedulously wrote and recorded late in the evenings after work. It was hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

During this time, a few of the most helpful influences included: Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, the Pogues, the Cure, Bjork, the Smiths, Joy Division, Neil Young, and John Lennon.

The first show took place at Joe’s Pub in the East Village in September of 2000. Onto the tiny stage the band had lugged an upright piano, a bass cabinet that was taller than the bass player, three amplifiers, an organ, a lap steel, two tape machines, three guitars, and a set of drums. The show was a great success, so they decided to stick together. Since then the boys have remained dedicated to their instrumentation, and even got their hands on an over-sized, rotting upright in London which nearly ruined trip (one show was on the third floor).

In the summer of 2001 the band released its first single (which somehow grew into an "EP")–a somewhat hasty collection of four early songs–and, simultaneously, an 8-song vinyl as a slightly more thorough representation of the group’s music. Since then the five have been recording steadily and now are scheduled for a bunch of new releases. The culmination of this past year’s efforts will be Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone, which will be available in March on Startime International. But even before that, a companion to the original 8-song vinyl will be released on Troubleman Unlimited this winter. Featuring 8 new songs, it will include a few tracks from the forthcoming album and several others. »

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

• Jason Reece - vocals, drums, guitar
• Conrad Keely - vocals, drums, guitar
• Neil Busch - bass
• Kevin Allen - guitar

Quite literally fighting their way out of Austin, Texas, ...Trail of Dead unleashed their self-titled debut (1998) on a largely uncaring world, who soon sat up and took notice of its successor Madonna (1999).

Renown for combative live shows of instrument destruction and their sonic maelstroms of noise followed, with the band returning with their major-label debut Source Tags And Codes in March 2002.

In addition to all this, they're alleged to be major players in the world of software piracy. Apparently.

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Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear are four handsome New York gents making world-weary and wailing folk rock with healthy dashes of psychedelia, rock and motown. »

Mos Def

Mos Def was born Dante Terrell Smith in 1973, in Brooklyn. He's used a number of other stage names in the past, including Black Dante and Flaco Bey.

His debut, 1998's Black Star, was a collaboration with Talib Kweli. Its follow-up, 1999's Black On Both Sides, was a commercial success: it reached number 25 on the Billboard chart and spawned a number of singles.

2004's The New Danger reached number five on the same chart, and has sold close to half a million copies. That year he presented the MOBO Awards.

Mos Def's talents are no restricted to the music world: an accomplished actor, he has appeared on both stage and screen. Among his movie credits are Monster's Ball, The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, and 16 Blocks.

MySpace
Website

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The B-52's

• Kate Pierson - vocals, keyboards
• Fred Schneider - vocals, keyboards
• Keith Strickland - drums

Although they lost any credibility they might’ve had when they recorded the theme for ‘The Flintstones’ movie in 1994, their career spanning almost 30 years (yes, THIRTY) has more than earned them the title of kings and queens of campy cartoon pop, long before the Scissor Sisters thought about having a go.

Formed Athens, Georgia in 1976, they were Fred Schneider (vocals), Kate Pierson (vocals/keys), Keith Strickland (drums, guitar/keys), Cindy Wilson (vocals) and brother Ricky (guitar). They set out to be a good-time party band, mixing ‘60s pop, rock’n’roll, new wave, and odd lyrics.

In 1979, Island Records signed the band and re-released their debut single, the lengthy Rock Lobster, a space-age rock’n’roll tune with spiky guitar, eerie organ and Fred yelping while the girls warbled. It set the blueprint for their soon-to-be instantly recognisable sound and it became an instant classic. Their eponymous album was released the same year.

Wild Planet followed the next year with the formula much the same. 1982’s Mesopotamia had producer David Byrne’s influence all over it, but the hugely underrated Whammy! (1983), containing nearly-hit Song For A Future Generation, was a commercial flop.

Ricky tragically died of AIDS in 1985, putting the band’s future in doubt. They tried to bounce back with Bouncing Off The Satellites (1987) but it was another flop. While many had written off the band by this point, something big was on the way…

Love Shack saw their surprise comeback on a huge scale and it still remains an easy dance-floor filler in any kind of club you wish to throw it at. Produced by Don Was, Nile Rodgers and former Gang Of Four bassist Sara Lee, it came from 1989’s Cosmic Thing, which also produced the hit Roam. Kate kept up their commercial high-point by lending her soaring vocals two years later to REM’s monster hit Shiny Happy People. It was, however, this time which saw Cindy leave the band. Fighting in the face of adversity once more, the 3-piece recruited some guest musicians and produced Good Stuff in 1992. Despite the album’s consequent success, their output since then has been quiet to say the least. There’s been the aforementioned Flintstones tune and two new songs added to their Greatest Hits collection, Time Capsule (which also saw Cindy rejoin the band for the occasion). They toured with The Pretenders in 1998, and still do the occasional tour these days although they’re rarely spotted in the UK. A short tour and Glastonbury appearance was booked then subsequently cancelled in 2003.

Fortunately that looks set to change: Fred has revealed there is a new B-52s album planned for release this year. At last! Hurrah!

adie nunn, january 2005»

!!!

Following a titillating tour in summer '95 between Popesmashers and Black Liquorice, !!! officially formed upon their return at one of the famously ultra-hot, all-night Sacramento, CA dance parties. The tour had provided the attendees - and a few of the band members - with plenty to think about. Black Liquorice came with disco covers without the kitsch, and Popesmashers followed with loud, propulsive noise. The combination of these styles seemed odd to some, but it worked in the most primal sense, leading the aforementioned band members and others to wonder - Why NOT feel this? All the fucking time.

The eight members of !!! had grown up playing various breeds of punk and experimental music (!!! frontman Nic was vocalist for the infamous hardcore band, Yah Mos), and increasingly found themselves wanting to play music in the vein of the stuff they were dancing to. Which is not to say !!! are a punk band, nor a funk band, for that matter. They are both. And neither.

The !!! symbol was chosen, rather than a conventional band name, because it reflects the excitement shared by the band members, mixed with an intense desire to shake things up. They have toured the U.S. repeatedly, amassing a sizeable following thanks to their cathartic live shows. The years spent train-hopping, hitch-hiking and touring DIY style have forged a desire to take !!! everywhere, fast.

!!! shares three of its members with Out Hud, including Tyler Pope, who is also in LCD Soundsystem. !!! has released a 12" split EP with Out Hud, as well as a seven-inch on Hopscotch called "Dis-ease". A self-titled debut came out on GSL in 2000, which included the nine minute manifesto, "There's No Fucking Rules, Dude" - an exhortation to forget your worries and just shake your ass... dude. Got it?

!!! is John Pugh (drums), Nic Offer (vocals), Allan Wilson (percussion, horns), Mario Andreoni (guitar), Tyler Pope (guitar, keys), Justin Vandervolgen (bass, sound engineering tweaks), Dan Gorman (percussion, horns), and Jason Racine (percussion).»

Bon Iver

Bon Iver is the brainchild of Justin Vernon, a deliberate misspelling of 'bon hiver', the French for 'good winter'.

His debut, a collection of hushed, intricate folk titled For Emma, Forever Ago was released in May of 2008 through 4AD.

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The Raveonettes

The Raveonettes are...

• Sune Rose Wagner - vocals, guitar
• Sharin Foo - vocals, bass

Embraced by the music press with the rest of the New Rock Revolution of the early '00's, The Raveonettes had already made waves in their native Denmark. Their debut mini-album 'Whip It On' was a critical success and received the honour of winning Best Album at the Danish Music Awards in 2003.

Melding influences new and old, the band have created their own unique musical identity, coming across somewhere between '60s girl group pop and claustrophobic '80s drone-rock, such as Jesus And The Mary Chain. They release their first full-length album, 'Chain Gang Of Love', in September 2003.

The male/female duo, made up multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Sune Rose Wagner and singer/bassist Sharin Foo, began recording together in 2001. Moving to New York the following year, the band was embraced by the burgeoning garage punk scene and began recording their new album with accomplished producer Richard Gottehrer. Tom Edwards

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White Lies

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Citizen Cope

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Brett Dennen

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Girl Talk

MySpace

Girl Talk is Gregg. Is it?

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Passion Pit

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DeVotchKa

Eastern European folk influenced band with all kinds of crazy strings and brass going on.

http://www.devotchka.net»

Mute Math

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The Dodos

MySpace

The Dodos are Meric Long and Logan Kroeber.

"San Francisco-based singer/guitarist of psych-folk-pop duo Dodos hones the callings of free-spirited, unhinged acts like Animal Collective, the music he makes with drummer Logan Kroeber embodies a spirit of its own. Long's light, ephemeral finger play on the acoustic guitar is fast, warm and focused, resonating under his refined lyrical hopscotch... Add Kroeber's stomping tom-and-tambourine backbeat, which recalls the Velvet Underground's Moe Tucker, and that amounts to one shit-kicking good time."
Houston Press

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Eek-A-Mouse

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John Vanderslice

While John Vanderslice isn't operating the mighty Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco, he's concentrating on being an enviably prolific indie-rock innovator, his solo releases full of sonic innovation and idiosyncratic songwriting.»

Federico Aubele

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Dr. Dog

Dr Dog emerged from the streets of West Philadelphia, recently toured with Architecture In Helsinki and releae debut record 'Easybeat' on Aug 22nd (Rough Trade). The album contains more hooks than Abu Hamza’s glove drawer, and songs so raw, effortless and honest, they make comparisons redundant. The arrangements twist and turn, the feel is ragged, but always melodic and above all, soulful. Dr Dog have occasionally been known to sport beards.»

Clutch

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Daniel Johnston

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Bell X1

Bell X1 are:

• Paul Noonan - vocals, drums, guitar
• Brian Crosby - guitar, keyboards
• David Geraghty - guitar, keyboards
• Dominic Phillips - bass

Formed from the remains of Juniper after Damien Rice jumped ship to go solo.

The band take their name from the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, piloted by Chuck Yeager - as documented in Tom Wolfe's famous book The Right Stuff, and the movie that ensued. The band have had numerous support slots including Elliot Smith and Bon Jovi (in the same week)!

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Alela Diane

From Alela Diane's website:

"I used to live in the crazy-land. Nevada City, California. It is real nice there. Lots of trees. A River. The family spirit. Beautiful creaters of craft and music. You see, I just left the cabin with crystals in the grout between the logs to move to this new place of city forest wandering: Portland, Oregon."

Said website is here.

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Blitzen Trapper

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Raphael Saadiq

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The Virgins

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Dirty Projectors

Dirty Projectors is the name Dave Longstreth chose after releasing his first album The Graceful Fallen Mango under his own name. Playing with Brian Mcomber (drums); Amber Coffman (singing, guitar) and Angel Deradoorian (singing, bass), he has released 4 albums The Glad Fact ( 2003 Western Vinyl ); slaves's graves of ballads ( 2003 Western Vinyl ); The Getty Address ( 2005 Western Vinyl )and Rise above ( 2007 dead oceans ) as well as an EP new attitude and an internet-only compilation of early works Morning Better Last!.

A creative artist, Dirty Projectors mixes classical orchestration with samples, electronic and strange vocals.

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Toadies

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Michael Franti

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School Of Seven Bells

Collaboration between Benjamin Curtis, late of the Secret Machines, and Alley Deheza from On! Air! Library. »

State Radio

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The Airborne Toxic Event

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Los Amigos Invisibles

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Deer Tick

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Lisa Hannigan

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The Avett Brothers

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K'naan

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The Dead Weather

Fronted by The Kills’ Alison Mosshart and joined by Jack White of The White Stripes/The Raconteurs on drums/vocals, The Raconteurs Jack Lawrence on bass and Queen of the Stone Age’s Dean Fertita on guitar, The Dead Weather are a brutal & vibrant addition to today’s rock scene.

Their self-produced album Horehound, is the first to be recorded and released via Jack White’s new Third Man studios & record label in Nashville, TN. Horehound is set for release in the UK on 13th July through Third Man / Columbia Records and includes the singles ‘Hang You From the Heavens’ & ‘Treat Me Like Your Mother’. thedeadweather.com»

Ghostland Observatory

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Robyn Hitchcock

Veteran psychedelic songwriter, counting REM amongst his fervant admirers. Hitchcock boasts a strong cult following in the US and fronts the seminal art-rock band Soft Boys. He can occasionally be found on tour with his backing band The Minus 3.»

Heartless Bastards

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The Felice Brothers

"Evoking The Band and Dylan holed up at Big Pink - this is a gripping intro for these shores"
Uncut

The Felice Brothers tour, sing, write and gamble together. Check them out on MySpace, here.

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Todd Snider

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Bassnectar

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Dan Auerbach

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Sound Tribe Sector 9

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Medeski, Martin & Wood

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The Knux

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Mishka

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Rodriguez

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Here We Go Magic

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The Low Anthem

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Asleep at the Wheel

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The Wood Brothers

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Zac Brown Band

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The Greencards

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Alberta Cross

Formed in 2005 from the ashes of their old band Historia, Petter and Terry became Alberta Cross and were joined by friends John and Sebastian. The full line-up is as follows:

Petter Ericson Stakee - lead vocals/guitar
Terry Wolfers - bass/vocals
John Alexander Ericson - keyboard/vocals
Sebastian Stone - drums

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Reckless Kelly

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Suckers

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Rebirth Brass Band

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The Parlor Mob

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Ben Sollee

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Cotton Jones

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David Garza

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The Soul Stirrers

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The Henry Clay People

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Poi Dog Pondering

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Raul Malo

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The Scabs

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The Dexateens

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Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

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Sts9

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Terri Hendrix

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Mimicking Birds

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Sara Watkins

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Henry Butler

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Jypsi

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nelo

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Papa Mali

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Jonell Mosser

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Loose Cannons

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Sarah SIskind

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Them Crooked Vultures

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Sam Roberts Band

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Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3

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Milkshake

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Lunch Money

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Jeffrey Steele

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Sarah Jaffe

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Mike Posner

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Leatherbag

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Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights

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L.A.X.

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Matt Morris

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Sons Of Bill

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Prescott Curlywolf

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Keith Gattis

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The Levon Helm Band

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Walter Washington

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Stoosh

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Damien Horne

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Vince Mira

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Preservation Hall

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Quinn Sullivan

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Danny Brooks

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Jesse Woods

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Telephone Company

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Ben Harper and The Relentless 7

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Q Brothers

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The Durdens

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Ralph's World

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Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

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The Gospel SilverTones

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Mr. Leebot

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palm school elementary

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diaconos

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