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Mid-Week Beat: Freedom Rock!

Music >

catalina-origSo, here in the States, it’s 4th of July weekend. That means fireworks, barbecues, parties and, of course, tons of live music. This week on the Mid-Week Beat, I thought I’d focus on music events that are happening around this great United States this weekend that represent the melting pot that is America.

We got cabaret, hip hop, electronic music, island music, avante garde, punk rock, indie rock and a tribute to the Rat Pack among other incredible events. This is just a sampling of what’s going on around the country this weekend.

Don’t see your town in the list? Well be sure to check out our site to see what’s going on in your neck of the woods.

Remember to celebrate responsibly and enjoy the long weekend!

Thursday, July 4 – Independence Day!

Sing! A Star-Spangled CelebrationSan Francisco, California   Award-winning performer and musical director, G. Scott Lacy, will open the club with an exciting new cabaret experience. SING! A STAR SPANGLED CELEBRATION is a musical journey of song in America – from Irving Berlin to Barry Manilow to Stephen Sondheim, this is the music of America. With riveting guest stars each night, Mr. Lacy will celebrate the music of our lives.  Join him in opening this new San Francisco cabaret room and raise a glass to toast our musical heritage. This performance will feature a special guest appearance by Jessica Fisher.

JULY 4th: Vote 4 Funk Festival w/ DJ Nu-Mark (Jurassic 5), Love and Light, The Gaff, Pleasuremaker and MORE!Tahoe City, California   Cast your ballot and vote for funk this 4th of July! 1 price, 1 wristband, 2 venues, 4 stages (including 2 outside decks), and 10 DJ’s make this the most ridiculous, biggest, and most fun party in the entire Lake Tahoe Basin. FUNK! HIP-HOP! SOUL! REGGAE! LATIN BEATS! BASS! BANGERZ! BALLOON DROP! LAKE VIEWS! LAZERS! PARTY! Lineup include: DJ Nu-Mark (Jurassic 5), Love and Light, The Gaff, Pleasuremaker, Zebuel, Tre Tuna, Chango, Multipleks, Ground$core and Dub Fyah. Music starts after the fireworks.

The Jubilee Variety ShowKitty Hawk, North Carolina   Jubilee Variety Show looks back in time to the 50s, 60s 70s, 80s and 90s. To stars like Neil Diamond, Sonny and Cher, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash. And don’t forget all the comedy that will keep you rolling in the isles in laughter.

Friday, July 5

John Cruz – Atherton Summer Season 2013Honolulu, Hawaii   Although John grew up in Hawaii, it wasn’t until he moved to the East Coast in 1983 that he developed his own style as a singer songwriter. During his 12 years in the Northeast, John cut his musical teeth in subways, coffeehouses and bars in New York’s Greenwich Village, as well as in the clubs and local haunts from Martha’s Vineyard to the Boston area. John returned to Hawaii in 1995 to help his brother Ernie record his album. At the time, Ernie was in the immensely popular band, the Ka’au Crater Boys. He invited John to play bass with them and to play his own songs during their shows. The exposure to large crowds gave John’s music a substantial fan base before it was even recorded. When his first album, Acoustic Soul was released in 1996, it made an artistic and commercial impact like few other recordings in Hawaiian musical history, selling over 150,000 copies in Hawaii alone. In 2005, John added the Grammy Award to his list of honors. His original song “Jo Bo’s Night” was featured on the compilation CD Slack Key Guitar Volume 2, which won the first Grammy ever awarded for Hawaiian music. In October 2006, a documentary film on his life, Made of Music – The Story of John Cruz, debuted at the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival in Honolulu. A few weeks later, it was honored with the Aloha Visionary Filmmaker Award at the Molokai Film Festival. Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, Kelly Slater and Jake Shimabukuro add color and insight to an already powerful story.

Dorian Wood w/ Rattle Rattle Chamber Orchestra + Mariel CarranzaLos Angeles, California   Los Angeles-based avant-garde artist/singer Dorian Wood will perform songs from his recent ground breaking album, Rattle Rattle, accompanied by a 15-piece chamber orchestra. Each song has been specifically arranged for this intimate, once-in-a-lifetime event, and will be performed without amplification within the walls of the MorYork Gallery, which houses the permanent collection of artist Clare Graham. The evening will kick off with a new work by world-renowned performance artist Mariel Carranza.

UPDATE! This event is now sold out. There will not be tickets available at the door.

Altercation’s Mid Summer Night ScreamAustin, Texas   Altercation’s 2013 Mid Summer Night Scream is two full nights of epic independent music. Featuring a night devoted to ‘rock’ and a full evening of ‘roots’, this annual event has gained steam with each passing year. Friday night’s lineup features MOD (featuring Billy Milano), Lower Class Brats, Belligerent 86, Two Fisted Law, Say Hello to the Angels, Sabbath Crow, Avenue Rockers and Fight Plan. Saturday’s lineup features Turbo 350 (in a rare ATX show!), Dirty Charlie Band, Jason Bancroft and the Wealthy Beggars, Grizzly, Black Eyed Vermillion, Nowherebound and Devils and Dust.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Presents: The Everyone OrchestraAsheville, North Carolina   THE EVERYONE ORCHESTRA conductor/founder Matt Butler has taken its participants, both on stage and off, on improvisational journeys with the most diverse of lineups at festivals, theaters and philanthropic events both nationally and internationally. A laundry list of hundreds of musicians, dancers, singers, guest conductors and community organizations have embraced the experience of EO in single shots of musical adrenaline to the soul. Tuning in to his energy, the band and audience utilize The Conductor as their pivot to the set mood of each passing jam as he communicates with the musicians using hand signs, whiteboard and assorted mime suggestions. The list of Everyone Orchestra participants is an increasingly wide and intercontinental group including members of The Grateful Dead, Phish, moe., String Cheese Incident, The Flecktones, Club d’Elf, ALO, Tea Leaf Green and Adrian Belew, Taj Mahal, Maria Muldaur, Tuvan throat singers, live painters, dancers, chanters, choirs, hula hoopers, firespinners, jugglers, stiltwalkers, storytellers, a presidential candidate and hundreds of others among a growing legion of other performers.

BROOKLYN @ The BITTER: /_\drian Daniel & RADAMIZ: LIVE! At the BitterEndNew York, New York   /_\DRIAN DANIEL and RADAMIZ are two of Brooklyn’s rising stars. History is being made with Radamiz being the first Hot97 Summer Jam MC to ever touch the legendary Bitter End stage. /_\drian Daniel is often described as an innovative urban contemporary singer/songwriter that’s making a lot of noise in the tri-state area with his captivating word play and genre bending instrumentation. His debut EP Memoirs of a Stoner was chosen as the Top 12 Best 2012 Independent Singer/Songwriter Releases by TMCA. The single Out of Gas charted at #1 on OurStage R&B chart for 8 straight weeks. Singles Anarchy and Electric Lady off his second EP NATIVE continue to receive heavy rotation on independent radio streams around NYC. The Roots’ Okayplayer describes his live performance as “unabashed and one of the best in the business.”

Saturday, July 6

The Warehouse Presents: Lemolo & The Kaleidoscope DanceTacoma, Washington   Recently defined as the “Best New Band” in City Arts Magazine, the folks at The Warehouse knew the first moment they first met Lemolo’s two front gems, Meagan Grandall and Kendra Cox, they were something special. Lemolo’s epic performance at Doe Bay Fest 2011 in the yoga studio is a perfect example. Not only was the Yoga Studio filled to capacity, but it was surrounded by hundreds of festival goers trying to catch a glimpse of the electrifying duo. They recently sold out two shows at Columbia City Theater debuting their album, The Kaleidoscope. Their album has a unique ability to take a listener on a transcendent and emotional journey through their lyrics, composition, and song structure. As Three Imaginary Girls and Sound on the Sound state,” The energy these two produce live is a force to be reckoned with that leaves the listener aching for more.”  This collaborative event features Lemolo playing their entire debut album The Kaleidoscope alongside choreographed performances from The BareFoot Collective and MLKBallet.

2013 BURGER BOOGALOO FEATURING REDD KROSS, JONATHAN RICHMAN, & OBLIVIANS ALL AGES!!!Oakland, California   HEY KIDS, it’s that time of year again!  Burger Records has teamed up with Total Trash Productions once more to bring you the best Burger Boogaloo ever! This year’s fest is scheduled to take place July 6th and 7th from noon-9PM at the Mosswood Park amphitheatre in sunny Oakland! Come enjoy a sunny afternoon in the park with Burger bands and friends! There will be fun outdoor events going on at the park over the course of the 2 days, featuring DJs and special guests, contests with Burger prize giveaways, vendors from local Oakland eateries, and all the Burger merch you could possibly want! Saturday’s lineup includes: Jonathan Richman (wiuth Tommy Larkins on drums), Redd Kross, Trashwomen, Traditional Fools, Shannon & the Clams, Mikal Cronin, Pangea and Peach Kelli Pop. Sunday’s lineup features: The Oblivians, DJ Jonathan Toubin’s NY Night Train Soul Clap Dance Off, Fuzz, Mean Jeans, Guantanamo Baywatch, Audacity and Gravy’s Drop.