Want to go to Riot Fest but a little short on cash? Riot Fest offers an option--layaway. Yep, layaway like your grandma used to do for Christmas presents. Whether you plan on attending in Chicago, Toronto or Denver? You can take advantage of this offer. Go HERE for more information.

Below is the Riotfest line up for Chicago. Head to riotfest.org for more info on lineups at other locations.

Toronto, September 6-7.
Denver, September 12-14.
Chicago, September 19-21.

In the past one of the ways small bands, bands just starting out, secured shows outside their area was to "trade" shows with bands from other areas. If you were from Chicago you'd get a show for a band from Louisville and they'd return the favor. Now SpokesBuzz, out of Fort Collins, Colorado is doing this FOR area bands via Bandswap.

The music nonprofit arranges swaps with bands from other areas. Below you can check out the schedule for bands. If you are in any of the cities below support their efforts.

Following the September dates all the bands will return to Fort Collins for a weekend music "extravaganza."

Find out more about SpokesBUZZ here HERE.

Independent Project Records is back.  The innovative label is re-emerging with a three CD re-mastered package from Red Temple Spirits on June 11, 2013. The release includes three releases from the band.

IPR was founded in 1980 and was started as a class project at UCLA’s Fine Arts Department. It was way for founder, Bruce Licher, to release his own music in artistic packaging but it became more than that. Bands such as Savage Republic, Licher’s own Scenic and many others called the label home.

The reborn label will be reissuing out of print titles but they will also be releasing new material. Artistic music in innovative packaging will surely follow. The Red Temple Spirits release will be limited to 1000 numbered copies and feature the LPs: Dancing To Restore An Eclipsed Moon ,  If Tomorrow I Were Leaving For Lhasa and I Wouldn’t Stay a Minute More...

Sun Records (Memphis legend, music legend) has joined forces with a new legend, Third Man Records. The first three releases from this truly amazing collaboration are Bear Cat by Rufus Thomas, Just Walking in the Rain by The Prisonaires and Get Rhythm by Johnny Cash. This disparate selection of songs ranges from old-school R&B, Sun's first big hit from The Prisonaires and the original A-side for Cash's hit, I Walk The Line.

The releases have the sun logo and label design and remain faithful to the original 45s.

These singles are just the beginning of the partnership and are available individually or as a bundle. There will be limited edition versions with yellow and black splatter vinyl (sun-ray vinyl!). There will be 150 of each limited edition and 100 of these will be sold via the Rolling Stone Record Store May 28, 29 and 30th.

This will be an ongoing partnership between Sun and Third Man and future releases are already in the works. Pre-orders for all three initial release (available for purchase individually or as part of a bundle) begin today, with an official release date of May 21st.

The 28th sees the sale of the limited Cash single at Sun Records in Memphis. On the 29th Rufus Thomas single will be on sale in Louisville at Please & Thank You. On the 30th The Prisonaires limited will be sold at Luna Records in Indianapolis.

Fifty copies of the limited editions will go randomly in orders of the standard edition vinyl from the Third Man website.

If you happen to be in Nashville you can actually have a good time on Black Friday. Fuck WalMart! Fuck waiting in lines. If you are in Nashville you can hit the grand opening of Third Man Record Novelties. Check out the video below.

Third Man is basically the future of the music business (business model-wise).  They press limited vinyl on a subscription basis. They promote fantastic music and more.

But what is this lounge?  Third man has expanded their record shop space and added a slew of coin-operated machinery including the world’s only Scopitone machine loaded with current music. The Scopitone plays music “videos” on 16mm.  When you visit you can watch any of 36 videos from Third Man’s catalog.

 Check out some old films HERE.

Third Man also has a Mold-A-Rama (I remember these from the Seaquarium in Miami). Jack White’s machine naturally mold’s an Airline guitar. More molds to come.

They also have a photo booth. 

On Black Friday, only at Third Man, there will be 100 7 inch singles of Jack White’s I’m Shakin available. Likewise the world’s oldest burlesque dancer, Tempest Storm,  will release her first Tempest Storm Green Series single. This release is a picture disc and the rest of the description makes no sense to me. It is supposed to provide a glimpse of Storm in full tease mode.

There will also be three singles from The White Stripes and a limited edition Opaque Red Vinyl re-issue singles from the White Blood Cells album. As usual these are in very limited numbers…There is more than all this too. If you are in Nashville. Just go. And get there early.

Be sure to look into the subscriptions offered by Third Man Records (The Vault). As I noted, this is the future of the music business.

Exit is a band out of Austin, Texas--and is the brainchild of Ben Londa.

They have a new record, The Blind Alley, in the offing and are looking for help funding it. Now, you don't see a lot of these on here (for good reason...) but I think Londa's pitch via Indiegogo is worth a look.

I have heard some of the new material and it is will worth backing.

Go HERE to see what Londa and company are offering.

Mount Kimbie, a duo made up of Kai Campos and Dom Maker, have signed to Warp Records. The group have released several EPs and a full length, Crooks & Lovers. They are working on their first release for Warp now.

Soundscapes with rhythm and ambience? Sounds like it is worth a listen. And you can listen at the band’s Soundcloud page. You can also watch at their Youtube channel.
 

California Wives have signed with Vagrant Records. Do not let the name fool you, these are Chicago boys. They released a self-titled EP a few years back that seemed to blow up the collective dress of the music media. They harkened back to an 80s sound that held nostalgia—but the band wasn’t reviving anything but incorporating the old with the new to create their own distinctive “thing.”

And you can hear what that is below by listening to, and downloading, their tune, Marianne. The band is finishing up their full length right now and a release date is coming soon.

DJ Puzzle (aka Jason Donnelly) has officially launched his new record label, Solar Sounds Records. The label has been sort of functioning for several years but now it is official and they are having a remix contest to celebrate. The contest will give you a chance to win; a record deal, 30,000 loops and samples and a Image-Line FL Studio 10.

Head to the label website and do the whole “Like” and “Follow” thing too. You can also buy stuff there.

The remix contest is for the Illustrated (aka Sean Layton)’s track, Subtle Hints, which is off the project’s debut recording, Mental Drug. The music is a mix of electronic and dance genres (electro house, EDM, dubstep etc).  Remix the track! Enter the contest.

Prizes
• First place is a copy of FL Studio 10 (sponsored by Image-Line software), their tune released, a VIP 1yr all access pass from Peace Love Productions, and goodies from Illustrated Music.
• Second place gets their remix released on Solar Sound Records and three sample pack from Soundtrack Loops.
• Third place gets their remix released Solar Sound Records and one sample pack from Soundtrack Loops.

Enter the contest HERE.

DJ Puzzle (aka Jason Donnelly) is a musician, producer and maker of loops extraordinaire. Recently TWO of his sample CDs, Wobble Talk and Clubstep, made it into the Beatport Sounds Top Ten list for Dubstep. Any producer looking for dubstep and brostep samples might be into it. Check them out at Beatport. Keep in mind these are not songs but samples so YOU can create songs.

This isn’t all of DJ Puzzle’s work. Check out more at Reverbnation.

But again, this isn't all. As you might imagine Donnelly creates music. You can  check out his latest single, Lose Control (Heat Up The Snow) at Juno Downloads or at iTunes.