Meridian Calendar

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Upcoming Events At Meridian

1503 Chartres, Houston, Texas 77003, Office 713.225.1717

Check out Meridian's MySpace page www.myspace.com/meridianhouston

For more info, go to www.MeridianHouston.com

The Meridian Box Office is now open Monday - Friday, Noon to 5:00PM

F E B R U A R Y
22
MAIN ROOM: CHRIS DUARTE & ERIC SARDINAS
With Special Guests: Marzi
Rock/Blues Rock/Southern Rock/Psychadelic/Bluegrass: Charles Christopher "Chris" Duarte (born February 16, 1963, San Antonio, Texas, USA) is an Atlanta-based guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. Duarte plays a rhythmic style of Texas blues-rock that draws on elements of jazz, blues, and rock 'n' roll. Duarte won a major label deal with Silvertone Records and released Texas Sugar/Strat Magik in 1994, and was named ?Best New Talent? in Guitar Player?s 1995 Reader's Poll.[citation needed] He finished fourth in the magazine?s ?Best Blues Guitarist? category behind Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King. Though Duarte has played a limited number of U.S. dates in recent years with the Japanese band Bluestone backing him, he performs primarily as a power trio, The Chris Duarte Group. Originally formed with long-time friend and collaborator John Jordan on bass, the latest incarnation features Joseph Patrick Moore on bass and Jeff Reilly on drums. Apart from his band, Duarte has performed as a session player with Julie Burrell, Diana Cantu, Alan Parsons, Bobby Mack, Tracy Conover, Indigenous, Omar & the Howlers, and the Talking Heads. Eric Sardinas is an American blues-rock guitarist born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1970. He is noted for his use of the electric resonator guitar and his powerful live performances. Sardinas began to play the guitar at age six and leaned toward vintage recordings by such Delta bluesmen as Charlie Patton, Bukka White, Big Bill Broonzy, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. Although he was left-handed, he eventually started to play right-handed and his impressive style may be due to this fact. "The rawest, most emotional music is what sparked my excitement for the blues," Eric says. "I still listen to music from the 20s and 30s on a daily basis. That's where it all began." He is currently signed to Steve Vai's Favored Nations record label and was the opening act for Vai's The Real Illusions Tour 2005 around the world.
22
RED ROOM: THE MIGHTY ORQ CD RELEASE PARTY CD RELEASE PARTY
With Special Guests: Tody Castillo, James Reese Band
Blues/Rock/Blues Rock: The Mighty Orq has quickly risen to be one of Houston, Texas' biggest bands by combining the energy of classic southern rock with undeniable pop hooks & melodies. Influenced by legendary Texas bands like ZZ Top, Soulhat, & Kings X, the band has been able to reach out to a wide-ranging audience that continues to grow & diversify. The band is best known for their high energy live shows, where through their music they take the audience to the extreme edges of rhythm, melody, and dynamics. The release of the band's 2005 album, "Milk Money", was met with widespread critical acclaim both at home and in Europe. They have been actively touring throughout Texas, Europe, and the South the past four years, while always maintaining a rigorous 200+ shows per year. This daunting schedule has allowed the band to fine tune theirs into a razor sharp trio. Their new album, "To The Bone", was recorded in New Jersey with famed producer/engineer Ben Elliott(Eric Clapton, Keith Richards) at the helm. The band is readying the album for an early 2008 release. The release of the album will coincide with huge shows around the US, and another 18+ months of touring the world to support it. This is a task that the band is not afraid to take on, after all, this will only bring more and more people to come see what the next "little ole band fr
23
KINCAID HIGHSCHOOL PARTYom Texas" is all about.

24
EMERY
With Special Guests: Mayday Parade, As Cities Burn, Pierce The Veil, Cry Of The Afflicted
Post-Hardcore/Rock/Screamo/Alternative:: The band, as described on The Question Deluxe Edition DVD, was named after a first grader that the lead singer met in college. They were formed early on in Rock Hill, South Carolina but moved to the West Coast in search of a better musical environment. The three members in the band at the time, Toby Morrell, Matt Carter, and Joel "Chopper" Green, actually left Rock Hill, South Carolina for Seattle on Sept. 11, the day of the terrorist attacks; they found out about it on the way. Current drummer Dave Powell originally played in the Indianapolis-based metalcore/hardcore band The Bowels of Judas. The rest of the members are from the bands Sachul, Joe 747 and Simply Wings. Emery is currently signed to Tooth & Nail Records. They have performed at the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois and Spirit West Coast's "Rock the Park" festival in Chino, California. Along with such festivals, they have performed on the Vans Warped Tour lineup while being featured in the Warped Tour documentary, Wake Up Screaming. They also performed in Hot Topic's Sub City Take Action! 2007 tour along with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, A Static Lullaby, and Kaddisfly, which began in February 2007 and is going to forty cities across the U.S.[1] Emery headlined their first tour, entitled the Grab Your Guns Tour, from September 13, 2005 to November 5, 2005. The other bands on the tour included He Is Legend, Gatsby's American Dream, Gym Class Heroes, and As Cities Burn. In the spring of 2006, Emery co-headlined the Tooth and Nail Tour with their labelmates Anberlin. In May 2006, they supported Story of the Year on their Australian headline tour. They then spent the summer of 2006 on the Vans Warped Tour. In late 2006, Emery participated in the Nintendo Fusion Tour with Hawthorne Heights, Relient K, Plain White T's, and The Sleeping. Emery's latest album is named "I'm Only a Man" and was released on October 2, 2007. Emery has also released a music video for The Party Song, which aired at the end of an interview on Buy TV. Emery will be headling a tour with, Mayday Parade, As Cities Burn, Pierce The Veil and Cry Of The Afflicted, starting on January 29th and stretching throughout America.
26
AIDEN
With Special Guests: Schoolyard Heroes, Farewell To Freeway
Rock/Gothic/Punk: TAiden is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington that formed in the spring of 2003. They took their name from the little boy in the movie, The Ring. The current members are wiL Francis (Vocals), Jake Wambold (Guitar), Jake Davison (Drums), Nick Wiggins (Bass), and Angel Ibarra (Guitar). wiL originally played bass but took over lead vocals when their previous vocalist left. In 2006, they contributed a remix of "The Last Sunrise" for the soundtrack to Underworld: Evolution and had their song "Die Romantic" featured on the EA Sports' game NCAA MVP Baseball 2006. Aiden was also part of the 2006 Kerrang Awards in August, taking home the award of "Best International Newcomer" as well as being part of the Kerrang XXV tour in January 2006. In May and June of that year Aiden toured with the Finnish band HIM. They also played the 2006 Warped Tour that summer. Aiden contributed a cover of Nirvanas' "Drain You" to Higher Voltage a CD given away free with Kerrang magazine, including The Answer, Fightstar and Soulfly. In April 2007, Aiden played an arena tour of the UK supporting Lostprophets with Taking Back Sunday. They also played the 2007 Taste Of Chaos North American Tour alongside The Used, 30 Seconds to Mars, Senses Fail, Saosin, Chiodos, and Evaline. They recently played a West Coast tour, followed by a national tour, Confessions in the Dark Tour, with Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Still Remains, and 1997. They recently completed the International Taste of Chaos tour. Aidens song 'One Love' appears in Resident Evil Extinction, and their song 'We Sleep Forever' is featured in the motion picture Dead Silence The band's third studio album entitled Conviction was released August 21, 2007. It marks a complete change of style in the band's musical direction. On the 9th October 2007, through a MySpace bulletin the band announced that they were filming their next music video, for the song "Moment", so confirming it as the next single. This video was recently released onto myspace for viewing. Individual dates for a U.S. tour in February 2008 have begun appearing on ticketmaster.com and other ticketing sites, as have dates for a U.K. and Europe tour in March-May 2008. They will also be playing The Bamboozle festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey in May 2007.
29
upClose Live PRESENTS TOO $HORT...Still Macking Still Macking...
With Special Guests: K Notch & BLB, Bama Boyz
Hip Hop: As the undisputed Godfather of Bay Area hip hop, Too $hort has earned the hip hop community's undying respect and admiration. Too $hort's legendary status is backed up by an incredible track record spans over twenty years and sixteen albums, ten of which earned gold and/or platinum status. Born Todd Shaw in Los Angeles, CA the Bay Area rapper spent his formative years learning to navigate survival in the mean streets of LA. He moved to Oakland at the age of 14 where he met his early rap partner Freddie B. The two quickly formed a fast friendship based around their love of rap music. By 1981, the two turned a hobby into a thriving enterprise by selling cassettes of Too $hort's raps for five bucks a pop throughout the streets of East Oakland. Back then customers could even request specialized tapes with $hort rapping about whatever they wanted. "That would cost you about ten to twenty bucks," recalls $hort. "And whatever information that you wanted on there would be on there. It would be your own special hook up." The popularity of those underground tapes spread throughout the Bay Area like wildfire, with fans dubbing them and passing them along to friends. Word of mouth had created Too $hort a loyal cult following that by the time he graduated high school he was already a local celebrity and had landed a deal with a local label called 75 Girls. His independant 1986 album, "Born to Mack" did so well that it attracted the attention of Jive label head Barry Weiss who offered him a distribution deal. The album went gold with little or no radio or video exposure. This was followed by a stream of gold and platinum albums. With his latest LP Blow The Whistle, Too $hort's sixteenth album, the Bay Area godfather turns in what is arguably his best work to date. "When we conceived the album we picked a winning team," says Too Short. "We picked the best producers, Lil Jon and Jazze Pha. We picked the best studios. Both of them are hit-makers and I've worked with them many times. I think that it's the best album since Getting' It."

M A R C H

1
ALL THAT REMAINS
With Special Guests: Chiamara, Black Tide, Light This City
Rock/Heavy Metal: ?People have a certain idea of what this band is, and when they hear the new stuff...it?s a new approach to our style,? vocalist Phil Labonte says. ?It?s almost like a new way to look at an old friend." With a desire to continually evolve, yet retain the trademark heavy and technically-skilled sound that All That Remains has established with the band?s breakthrough album, 2004?s This Darkened Heart, Labonte and company have done just that with The Fall of Ideals. Where the last record found the band intertwining heavy music, virtuoso solos, and unmatchable melody, All That Remains? current collective goal is to build on elements that the last album only hinted at. ?Everything we did on This Darkened Heart, we are turning up a notch,? Labonte says. ?This disc will have some of the most aggressive, and some of the most friendly, pieces of music All That Remains has ever written.? The Fall of Ideals is the culmination of the original ideals, ideas, and elements that All That Remains was initially founded upon. Combining the grinding riffs and unrelenting rhythms of death metal legends and the tandem fluidity of Martin and Herbert?s shredding, alongside Labonte?s ever-expanding vocal repertoire of soaring notes and guttural growls, the band has now become everything it has been striving for since its inception.
5
THROWDOWN
With Special Guests: Soilwork, Through The Eyes Of The Dead, War Of Ages
Post-Thrash/Straightedge Metalcore/Rock/Heavy Metal: Throwdown is a straight edge metalcore and post-thrash band from Orange County, California. They have toured as part of Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground and Warped Tour, as well as with bands like In Flames, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Sick of It All, Norma Jean, Soulfly, and Hatebreed. The songs "Forever" and "Burn" have been staples on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball and Revolver Magazine called them part of "The Future of Metal" after hearing the album Vendetta, which the band has stated they found humorous as they are more rooted in Hardcore than in Metal. Their most recent album Venom and Tears has taken more of a metal direction, with critics likening the bands current sound to that of Pantera.
6
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
Alternative Rock/Indie/Pop: They Might Be Giants (commonly abbreviated to TMBG) is an American alternative rock duo consisting of John Flansburgh and John Linnell. Formed in 1982, they are best known for an unconventional and experimental style of alternative music. Combining a knack for infectious melodies with a quirky, bizarre sense of humor and a vaguely avant-garde aesthetic borrowed from the New York post-punk underground, They Might Be Giants became one of the most unlikely alternative success stories of the late '80s and early '90s. Musically, the duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell borrowed from everywhere, but their freewheeling eclecticism was enhanced by their arcane, geeky sense of humor. They would reference everything from British Invasion to Tin Pan Alley, while making allusion to pulp fiction and President Polk. Flansburgh and Linnell met when they were children in Lincoln, MA. During high school, they began writing songs together, yet they never officially formed a band. By 1981, the pair had reunited, deciding to move to Brooklyn to pursue a musical career. Although they were building a cult following, they had a hard time getting a record deal, so they set up Dial-A-Song ? a phone line that played songs on an answering machine ? as a way to get their songs heard. The gimmick worked. Not only did it lead to a deal with the indie label Bar/None, but over the years it was a successful venture; at one point, the service was receiving hundreds of calls a day. Through their string of indie releases and constant touring as a duo, They Might Be Giants built up a huge following on college campuses during the late '80s, switching to a major label in the early '90s. With support from MTV, 1990's Flood became a gold album, and with it, the band began to reap commercial rewards, moving into the status of one of the most popular alternative bands before grunge.


For more information, updates and information about booking your own event, go to www.MeridianHouston.com.

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7
SILVERSTEIN
With Special Guests: The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Protest The Hero
Emo/Hardcore/Screamo: Silverstein (pronounced Silver-steen) is a band from Burlington, Ontario. The band name was taken from the famous children's author Shel Silverstein. In 2005 the band performed on the Never Sleep Again tour with bands such as Aiden, Hawthorne Heights and Bayside?a tour where Bayside's drummer John "Beatz" Holohan would be killed. In January-February 2006, they toured with the band Simple Plan in Europe. They then toured Canada with the Taste of Chaos Tour, and also toured Europe, Japan, and Australia. The band toured on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour, in support of their current studio album Discovering the Waterfront and an EP compilation 18 Candles: The Early Years. The Early years compiles the band's first two self-financed EPs with some acoustic and live material as well as single remix of the Discovering The Waterfront hit "Smile In Your Sleep". Discovering the Waterfront was re-released in September 2006 with an extra song, the band's cover of Lifetime's "Rodeo Clown" and a DVD. In 2006, Silverstein was nominated for a Juno Award in the "Best New Band" category, but lost to Bedouin Soundclash. In Fall 2006, they headlined The Never Shave Again Tour, along with Aiden, It Dies Today, and He Is Legend. Following completion of their third CD, the band played a few shows in the spring, and then engaged in an all-summer tour with Rise Against. The band toured the United States in Fall 2007 with From Autumn to Ashes and is currently on a month-long European tour with blessthefall. Recently, Silverstein announced that, following tours of Australia and Japan, they are going on their first "Cross-Canada" headlining tour starting in late January and ending in early February with Protest the Hero, Ill Scarlett and The Devil Wears Prada. They will follow that up by a U.S. Tour.
8
TEXAS METAL FEST WITHDEVILDRIVER
With Special Touring Guests: Napalm Death, Walls Of Jericho, 36 Crazy Fists, Asesino, Divine Heresy, Invitro, & Special Regional/Local Guests: PinHed, Burnt Face Jack, Necrofaith, Lycophile, Paegan, Dead Trip, Last Rosary, Dimished, To Scale The Throne, Bloodvoid, Lao Tzu, Cain Was Able, Sever The Silence, Cryptic, Lone Star Massacre, Vehement, Seven Year Itch, Subourne, Roar Shot Blind, Bludstream, Lay To Waste, Chais With A Smile, Cerebral Rot, Krank Shaft, 28th St., Burn The Wicked, & Blood Requiem.
Metal/Grindcore/Death Metal/Black Metal: An all-day festival of loval and regional metal bands from Texas For more details CLICK HERE For bands interested in playing, please contact Luis Matos at arturomatos2000@yahoo.com.
9
GUNTHER & THE SUNSHINE GIRLS
With Special Guest: With Special Guest: DJ Olof (Sweden)
Techno/House/Club/Dance/Euro: Pleasureman Gunther is set to have the biggest smash-hit of the summer with his fantastic debut single 'Ding Dong Song'. Günther is a true European, his origin is Sweden but he sees himself as a global citizen. Günther has always been in the entertainment industry and now he feels it is time to change the attitude of the world to do something better. He has only started his mission to go out in the world and spread the message of Love. The four main things in Günthers life are Champagne, Glamour, Sex and Respect!
10
MUNICIPAL WASTE
With Special Guests: Iron Lung
Thrash/Punk/Metal/Rock/Speed Metal: From choosing a name that makes them sound like some sort of urban public works department, to their music itself, Richmond, VA's Municipal Waste openly bow down to the memory of '80s thrash metal and crossover ? twenty years after, and a few hundred miles away from the original movement's heyday in New York City. Led by picturesquely named vocalist Tony "Guardrail" Foresta, Municipal Waste played their first show on New Year's Eve 2001, then spent the next few years working on demos, recording the odd EP and split release, and juggling musicians until solidifying its membership around Guardrail, guitarist Ryan Waste and bassist Land Phil. Veteran drummer Dave Witte (ex-Human Remains, Burnt by the Sun, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, etc.) joined their ranks shortly after the band signed with Earache Records and recorded 2004's Waste Em All with producer Corey Smoot (aka Flattus Maximus of GWAR). The album was instantly embraced by discerning metal fans for its retro-tastic revival, received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and landed Municipal Waste supporting slots on tours with Converge and the Red Chord. Late 2005 saw the unveiling of the band's equally impressive sophomore effort, Hazardous Mutation, which helped them break big across Europe, and resulted in even more touring opportunities. Two years later, the group once again returned to the studio with producer Zeuss (Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, etc.), and emerged with their third irreverent opus, The Art of Partying.
12
AIRBOURNE
With Special Guests: Endeverafter, Stone Rider, Mercury Down
Rock/Classic/Stoner Rock: Airbourne is an Australian hard rock band originating from Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia, where they gained a steady following with their pub-rock sound. Their independent eight track EP 'Ready to Rock' was released in 2004. In early 2005, the band relocated to Melbourne. Later that year, the band signed a five album record deal with Capitol Records and have since supported Mötley Crüe and The Rolling Stones, as well as playing in several summer music festivals. Their first album, titled Runnin' Wild, was released in Australia on 23 June, 2007. So far, three singles have been released from the album, "Runnin' Wild", "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast" and "Diamond In The Rough". On February 19 2007, Capitol Records cancelled their record contract with Airbourne, but the album was still released in Australia through EMI. The band has now signed with Roadrunner Records for distribution throughout the rest of the world. Amongst all the overseas hype Airbourne still fails to be played on any of the major Australian Radio networks. Airbourne's music has also been featured in several video games, such as Madden 08 and NHL 08. According to Gamesindustry.biz, the band's music also features in the newly released games Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, Need for Speed: ProStreet, Skate, Grand Theft Auto IV, NHL 08, Burnout Paradise and NASCAR 08.
13
GEORGE THOROGOOD
With Special Guests: Monkey Beat
Classic Rock/Blues/Rock: A blues-rock guitarist who draws his inspiration from Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor, and Chuck Berry, George Thorogood never earned much respect from blues purists, but he became a popular favorite in the early '80s through repeated exposure on FM radio and the arena rock circuit. Thorogood's music was always loud, simple, and direct -- his riffs and licks were taken straight out of '50s Chicago blues and rock & roll -- but his formulaic approach helped him gain a rather large audience in the '80s, when his albums regularly went gold. Originally, Thorogood was a minor-league baseball player but decided to become a musician in 1970 after seeing John Paul Hammond in concert. Three years later, he assembled the Destroyers in his home state of Delaware; in addition to Thorogood, the band featured bassist Michael Lenn, second guitarist Ron Smith, and drummer Jeff Simon. Shortly after the group was formed, he moved them to Boston, where they became regulars on the blues club circuit. In 1974, they cut a batch of demos which were later released in 1979 as the Better Than the Rest album. Within a year of recording the demos, the Destroyers were discovered by John Forward, who helped them secure a contract with Rounder Records. Before they made their first album, Lenn was replaced by Billy Blough. Thorogood & the Destroyers' eponymous debut was released in early 1977. The group's second album, Move It On Over, was released in 1978. The title track, a cover of Hank Williams' classic, was pulled as a single and it received heavy FM airplay, helping the album enter the American Top 40 and go gold. Its success led to MCA's release of Better Than the Rest, which the band disdained. In 1980, Ron Smith left the band and the group added a saxophonist, Hank Carter, and released their third album, More George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Following the release of More George Thorogood, the guitarist signed with EMI Records, releasing his major-label debut, Bad to the Bone, in 1982. The title track of the album became his first major crossover hit, thanks to MTV's saturation airplay of the song's video. The album went gold and spent nearly a full year on the charts. Thorogood's next three albums after Bad to the Bone all went gold. Between Bad to the Bone and Thorogood's next album, 1985's Maverick, the Destroyers added a second guitarist, Steve Chrismar.
14
NILE
With Special Guests: Suicide Silence, The Faceless, Nachtmystium
Metal/Death Metal: Nile is a brutal/technical death metal band from Greenville, South Carolina, USA assembled in 1993. Their music and lyrics are inspired by Ancient Egyptian mysticism, history, religion, art, and the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. Nile's music is written mostly by founding member and vocalist / guitarist Karl Sanders. It combines traditional and technical death metal with elements of music, incorporating traditional Egyptian instruments in some songs. Nile's music is also characterized by its extreme complexity and speed ? for which the band has received acknowledgment from many music fans and journalists? and its extremely 'heavy' riffing, due to Nile's guitar and bass tunings. The lyrical content is based on Karl Sanders' interest in Egyptology as well as other ancient Middle Eastern cultures such as Mesopotamia. Lengthy sleeve notes are included with the albums Black Seeds of Vengeance, In Their Darkened Shrines and Annihilation of the Wicked albums, explaining the inspiration or source for the lyrics of each song. Also, some of the songs are based on the works of H. P. Lovecraft, an early 20th century author, who has also inspired many other bands from various genres. Karl Sanders has also released one solo album called Saurian Meditation. In May 2006, Nile signed a new recording contract with Nuclear Blast Records. On February 26, 2007 Nile entered the studio and began recording their fifth full-length album called Ithyphallic, which will be their first release with Nuclear Blast Records. Karl Sanders had confirmed a release date of June 29th via a posting on the band's message board, which was later pushed back to July 20 2007. As a special bonus Nuclear Blast Records gave several fans the opportunity to listen to the new album two weeks before it came out if they could decipher a hieroglyphic message. The answer was papyrus. On March 21 2007, Nile was confirmed as a "Second Stage" act for Ozzfest 2007. A message from Karl Sanders via Nile's MySpace page indicated that they were excited to finally bring true death metal to an Ozzfest audience. Critics of Ozzfest have cited Nile as "The most brutal band to go on a tour usually dominated by false alternative/hard rock bands and metalcore. Ozzy finally got smart this time."
15
THE HOTEL CAFE TOUR 2008
With Special Guests: Sara Bareilles, Cary Brothers, Ingrid Michaelson, Joshua Radin, Greg Laswell
Folk/Indie/Singer Song Writer: Once just a small coffee shop, The Hotel Café has quickly blossomed into not only one of the premier singer/songwriter venues in the United States, but also been labeled ?the place that breaks artists.? The artists surrounding The Hotel Café regard it as home, where lyrics, voice and a DIY approach rule. On any given night, you can find well known artists (such as: Weezer, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Death Cab For Cutie, KT Tunstall and many more) on the same bill with up-and-comers, playing both as solo artists and as a communal project, sometimes well rehearsed and sometimes in the heat of the moment, and more often than not, jamming into the wee hours of the morning. For the past 4 years, The Hotel Café has been presenting a tour that has hit every major market in the United States and the UK. The concept of the tour was to share the same community vibe with music fans all over the globe. Artists performed solo and would then share the stage with fellow tour mates. No cookie-cutter corporate American Idols, just real music, written by real artists, surrounded by real friends, who actually have a story to tell. *THE GRAND OPENING TO THE FOTOFEST EXHIBIT WILL BE PRIOR TO THE SHOW IN THE GRAFFITI ROOM. MORE DETAILS TO COME.
16
BLACK MOUNTAIN
Rock/Indie Rock/Psychedelic: After founding Jerk with a Bomb in the late '90s, Stephen McBean had by the mid-2000s transformed the Vancouver-area band into a group called Black Mountain. Drawing on blues, psychedelia, acid rock, and the Velvet Underground, Black Mountain's sound was a cross between the darkness and grit of the Warlocks and Brian Jonestown Massacre's trippiness. After debuting in October 2004 on Jagjaguwar with the 12" Druganaut, Black Mountain stayed with the label for an eponymous full-length, issued the following January. Joining McBean for the album were local players Matthew Camirand, Jeremy Schmidt, Joshua Wells, and Amber Webber, listed collectively to preserve the band's communal ethic. (Black Mountain ran concurrent to and intermingled with McBean's other band, lo-fi classic rockers Pink Mountaintops.) In January 2008, the group released their sophomore album, In the Future, and showed off their willingness to explore proggy (and druggy) territory with the 17-minute opus "Bright Lights."
18
GOGOL BORDELLO
Gypsy Punk: Gogol Bordello is a multi-ethnic Gypsy punk band from the Lower East Side of New York City that formed in 1999 and is known for its theatrical stage shows. Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music, as its core members are immigrants from Eastern Europe. The band incorporates minor-key accordion and fiddle (and on some albums, saxophone) mixed with cabaret, punk, and dub as well as multiple languages. Phill Jupitus has described the band as "a bit like The Clash having a fight with The Pogues in Eastern Europe.

19
BLUE OCTOBER
Rock/Alternative Pop: Blue October was formed by lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Justin Furstenfeld, his brother Jeremy and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye. They were later joined by guitarist/vocalist C.B. Hudson and bassist Matt Noveskey. The band's name reportedly was inspired by Justin's brief stint in a hospital in October. Managed by Justin and Jeremy's parents under the name "RoDan Entertainment," Blue October released their first album, The Answers, in 1998, a well-received debut which sold over 5,000 copies in Houston alone. Due to a fan-based connection with the local ABC network television affiliate, Blue October was able to schedule an early-morning news performance ? the band's first live television performance. The band's latest album, entitled Foiled, was released on April 4, 2006. The band made their network television premiere on April 14, 2006, performing Hate Me, the first single from Foiled on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. They appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on June 28, 2006. Into the Ocean, the second single from the album, impacted radio on July 17, 2006, and the video for the song debuted at number three on VH1's VSpot Top 20 Countdown during the show's final week of 2006 and reached the number one spot in mid-February 2007. As a result of reaching a new audience that Blue October has found with its Foiled album, Blue October has recently undergone an expansion of its tour locations. Originally restricted to Texas and parts of the Midwest and Southwest United States, Blue October is now touring major locations covering the entire continental United States, in addition to adding locations in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, England, Germany and the Netherlands to their schedule. On November 14, 2006 Blue October opened for the Rolling Stones in Boise, Idaho. The latest single from the band is She's My Ride Home, which they performed on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on April 25, 2007.

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20
GRANDMASTER FLASH
Oldschool Hip Hop: Joseph "Biggie Grand" Saddler (born January 1, 1958 in Bridgetown, Barbados), better known as Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the first hip hop/rap artists so honored. Saddler's family immigrated to the United States, and he grew up in the Bronx. He currently lives in the Morrisania section of the South Bronx. He became involved in the earliest New York DJ scene, attending parties set up by early luminaries. Learning from Pete Jones and Kool Herc, he used duplicate copies of a single record and two turntables (for cutting) but added a dexterous manual edit with a mixer to promote the break (the ordinary playing of the record would be interrupted to overlay the break, the break could be repeated by using the mixer to switch channels while the second record was spun back). He also invented the technique initially called cutting, which was developed by Grand Wizard Theodore into scratching (AMG). Grandmaster Flash's parents played an important role in his interest in music. His parents hailed from Barbados and his father was a big fan of Caribbean and black American records. As a kid Flash was fascinated by his father's record collection, "My father was a very heavy record collector. He still thinks that he has the stronger collection. I used to open his closets and just watch all the records he had. I used to get into trouble for touching his records, but I'd go right back and bother them." Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal's book That's the Joint describes how Flash's entry into "cutting" came from this fascination with his father's record collection as well as his mother's desire for him to educate himself in electronics.
21 RED ROOM:
SUBVERSA CD RELEASE PARTY
With Special Guests: Rowe, Celebro
Rock/Classic/Stoner Rock:
21 MAIN ROOM/VIP:
TOMMY LEE (MOTLEY CRUE) & DJ AERO
Rock/Alternative/Electronica: DJ Aero is on the cover of Dj Times with Tommy Lee.
22
DARE WARE'S ANNUAL FETISH BALL
Fetish/Erotica/S & M: On March 22nd, 2008 Dare Ware will be producing our 16th Fetish Ball. We are pleased to announce that our headliner this year will be RubberDoll, world re-known fetish model and performer. She has performed at many of the largest fetish events around the world including Rubberball in London and Wasteland in Amsterdam both in 2007. Also appearing on the main stage will be the Swiss band FAQ. With the style somewhere between Depeche Mode, Placebo and Underworld, FAQ (formerly known as Carpe Diem) is about to reach a new and bigger audience both inside and outside the electronic music scene The cooperation between FAQ (one of the Europeans top act in the electronic/progressive music scene) from Switzerland and fetish star model RubberDoll from Florida, began in winter 2006 when they performed together on stage for the first time during FAQ's 'porn & art European tour'. The fusion of FAQ's powerful and intense live show and RubberDoll's elegant, aesthetic, and highly erotic fetish performance is unique and an electric experience for eyes and ears. Other entertainment will include an array of fetish and s/m performances and our infamous human buffet (during the VIP Party). There will be a full dungeon set up that will be provided by local scene members. Fetish photographers and models will be among the quests as well as fetish and s/m enthusiasts from around the globe. The vendor area, which was added a few years ago and has been a great success, will be expanded this year as more lighting has been installed in that area as well as a new air-conditioning system. Attendance is expected to top 1000 people. Advance tickets will be available at Dare Ware: 6363 Westheimer Houston, TX 77057 713/953-9393
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FU MANCHU
With Special Guests: Burning Brides, Max Cady
Stoner Rock/Rock/Hard Rock: Fu Manchu originally formed in 1987 as a hardcore punk band called Virulence. Their primary influences were the bands Black Flag and Bl'ast. The line up was vocalist Ken Pucci, guitarist Scott Hill, bassist Greg McCaughey, and drummer Ruben Romano. In 1989 they released their debut LP If This Isn't a Dream... on Alchemy Records. In 1990, Pucci left the band and was replaced by vocalist Glen Chivens and they changed their name to Fu Manchu. Soon after they released the "Kept Between Trees" 7 inch single on Slap A Ham Records. On this record, Fu Manchu still exhibited much of the hardcore sound established by Virulence. However, the band soon began to drift away from hardcore and towards a more 1970s hard rock style. McCaughey was not pleased with this, as he regarded this move to be following a trend; the Sub Pop record label was at the peak of its underground success at this time, and many of their bands were known for having a similar 70s rock sound. McCaughey left the band and was replaced by Mark Abshire. Chivens also left the band around this time for unknown reasons. Rather than bring in a new vocalist, Scott Hill added lead vocalist to his guitar duties. To compensate, Scott Votaw was recruited as lead guitarist. In 1992, Fu Manchu released three 7 inch singles: "Senioritis," "Pick Up Summer," and "Don't Bother Knockin' (If This Vans Rockin')." In 1993, Votaw left the band and was replaced by former Olivelawn drummer Eddie Glass, who now leads the successful power trio Nebula. In the wake of Nirvana?s success in the early 1990s, Fu Manchu was approached by a major record label and given funds to record a demo so that the label could determine if a proper Fu Manchu album was worth pursuing. According to members of Fu Manchu, they recorded the demo with no intention of signing to the label. Instead, their plan was to go into the sessions with the mindset of recording a proper album rather than a demo, which they would release independently. Sure enough, this is precisely what happened; Fu Manchu did not sign with the major label, but the recording sessions resulted in Fu Manchu?s first album, No One Rides For Free (1994), which was released by Bong Load Records, an independent label. Fu Manchu went on to release several successful albums and reinforce their reputation as a powerful live act. The band had gained this reputation over the years due to their performance when touring with bands such as Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Marilyn Manson, Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, and White Zombie among others. Fu Manchu have recently completed work on their latest album 'We Must Obey' which was released on the 19th February. The band will spend most of 2007 on the road, having already confirmed dates in both Europe and America.
29
MERIDIAN & A PEDRO PRESENTS/JMG MUSIC PRODUCTION BRING YOU THE BRET MICHAELS ROCK OF LOVE 2 TOUR
Rock/Glam Rock: Although Bret Michaels has led the rock band Poison for the last twenty years, he has consistently worked on special solo projects including his forthcoming highly anticipated album due out this fall. Bret has recorded with Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down, Mark Wills, Chris Cagle, Stevie Nicks, Uncle Kracker, Phil Vassar and Jessica Andrews. He has also performed with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hank Williams Jr., Drowning Pool, Kenny Chesney, members of Kiss and Steven Tyler. Bret can also be heard in Uncle Kracker?s duet with Kenny Chesney called ?Last Night Again.? Bret and Phil Vassar share background vocal duties. Bret was asked to appear onstage at Lynyrd Skynyrd's television reunion Live From The Fox Theatre. Bret jammed alongside Travis Tritt, Charlie Daniels, Ozzy's Zakk Wylde, Tom Keifer, Donnie Van Zant and Peter Frampton. Michaels performed The Beatles song, "Drive My Car" for a RADD PSA alongside Paul McCartney, Melissa Etheridge, Clint Black, Lisa Hartman, Ringo Starr and many others. Obviously, well established as a successful musician with Poison, Michaels sets records on his own as well. He has broken the attendance record, on his own, at numerous events and venues in 2005 and 2006 including; Waterstock Rock, Rockin The Runway, The Grave Diggers Ball, The SBVFD Charity Event in Butler Pennsylvania and The Stern Wheel Regatta just to name a few.
30
MOE
Rock/Jam Band/Pop: moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1990. The band members are: Rob Derhak (bass, vocals), Al Schnier (guitar, vocals, keyboard), Chuck Garvey (guitar, vocals), Vinnie Amico (drums), and Jim Loughlin (percussion). The band's first record, Fatboy (1992), established the band as a favorite of the 1990s jam band and improvisational rock scene that grew in popularity with bands such as Phish, the Dave Matthews Band, and Widespread Panic. Just as Grateful Dead followers were coined "Dead Heads", avid moe. fans embrace the term "moe.rons." moe. toured with the 1997 Furthur Festival, appeared at Woodstock '99, played in Central Park, opened for The Allman Brothers and The Who, performed at Radio City Music Hall on New Year's Eve 2006 and returned there for New Year's Eve 2007. During an interview, guitarist Al Schnier was asked to describe moe. for those who have never heard their music: "It's an amalgamation of a wide variety of the history of rock, all regurgitated and recycled through the eyes, ears, hands, whatever of the guys in our band and all of that with a sense of adventure, a sense of humor, also a constant desire to push the envelope. All in this arena of taking chances, improvising live, and making things up on the spot."
31
TOKYO POLICE CLUB
With Special Guests: Eagle Seagull
Indie/Garage/Pop: The gentlemen of Tokyo Police Club grew up dreaming of rock stardom?playing air guitar, lip syncing to songs in front of the mirror, and practicing interviews before bed. One fateful day, Dave, Graham, Greg, and Josh decided to learn some instruments and write some songs. It took a few years and a few bands before the four friends created Tokyo Police Club. The first ten shows or so attracted crowds of friends and parents. There were plenty of cupcakes to go around. Soon a reputation for infectious songs and exuberant live performances added to the decadent baked goods and an unstoppable musical force was born. After a Pop Montreal showcase, Tokyo Police Club made some new friends: Toronto?s esteemed Paperbag Records. Surprised by their good fortune, but intent on turning out a stellar collection of songs, the boys worked like madmen, spending their days working ?real jobs? and their nights banging out tune after tune. The band hit the studio with Jon Drew, and after three long days, staggered back into the harsh sunlight clutching their new EP: A Lesson in Crime. Clocking in at a mere 16 minutes, A Lesson in Crime hits like a tornado, from the thunderous drums of ?Cheer it On? to the cathartic screaming coda to ?La Ferrassie.? The EP is a relentless barrage of pummeling bass and drums, stabbing keyboards, and sheets of delayed guitar, peppered with furious handclaps and lively group vocals. Released in the United States and Europe, the EP received a glowing review by Rolling Stone, ?If only all young guitar bands were smart enough to rock out this fast, banging out seven first-rate mod-punk party starters in barely more than sixteen minutes.? Then came NME, ?Tokyo Police Club are a bold, inventive, brilliant band, And that?s the absolute truth,? and Pitchfork, ?This blogger-approved Toronto quartet has the potential to become a real five-tool player in indie for a long time; Pretty Girls Make Graves agility, Les Savy Fav?s curveball, the Strokes? sweet swing?there?s no questioning the latent talent here.? Whether playing in small clubs or at massive festivals like Glastonbury or Coachella, Tokyo Police Club is known for boisterous live shows that manage to exceed the joy and energy of their recordings. The boys have spent the past year touring with bands like Art Brut, Cold War Kids, and Enon.

For More Info:
www.meridianhouston.com

[garpk]

A P R I L

6
SICK PUPPIES
With Special Guests: Dropping Daylight, Saving Able
Rock: Sick Puppies are a rock band from Sydney, Australia. The band was formed by singer/lead guitarist Shimon Moore and bassist Emma Anzai in the music room of Mosman High School in 1997, where the two connected because of their shared love for Silverchair. Initially with Shimon on drums and Emma on guitars, the duo would frequently meet up to play Green Day, Rage Against the Machine and Silverchair songs and eventually felt compelled to write their own songs. Soon, Chris Mileski was added to the band to fill in on drums. Sick Puppies started attracting national attention when their song "Nothing Really Matters" won Triple J's Unearthed in 2000. Later that year, they released their debut album called Welcome to the Real World and were voted for "Best Live Performance" at a rock festival in Sydney. This album was initially supposed to feature a humorous cover version of Destiny's Child's hit single "Say My Name", performed in a post grunge/nu metal style, however the song was not included due to the threat of a lawsuit by Destiny's Child's record label. It was leaked, however, and is readily available and easy to find on the internet on websites and P2P networks. Also, they sometimes play this song live. The band received a very large amount of exposure for the song "All the Same" which is the theme for Juan Mann's Free Hugs Campaign video on YouTube, although it also has its own video.
10
STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO
Ska/Punk: Streetlight's first recording consisted of a four-track demo EP, featuring the songs "Everything Went Numb", "Point/Counterpoint", "The Saddest Song" and "We Are the Few", all of which were re-recorded for their debut album. The line-up that recorded the demo consisted almost entirely of musicians from the project Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution: Josh Ansley (bass guitar), Jamie Egan (trombone & trumpet), Tomas Kalnoky (guitar & vocals), Stuart Karmatz (drums), Dan Ross (alto & baritone saxophone) and Pete Sibilia (tenor saxophone). It was this recording that got the band signed to Victory Records, the same label as Catch 22. After the demo was recorded Stuart Karmatz left and was replaced by Paul Lowndes and Jim Conti took the place of Pete Sibilia. This line-up then recorded Everything Goes Numb, but changed again before the band could perform any live shows. Paul Lowndes left so Chris Thatcher joined the band as his replacement, and has been with Streetlight ever since. On the album, Jamie Egan played both trumpet and trombone, but as he would not be able to do this live Mike Soprano joined on trombone. Streetlight had grown more successful than they had anticipated, and in September 2004, Josh Ansley announced his departure to pursue an acting career but is still playing music in the rock band HURT on Capitol Records with fellow New Jersey guitarist Paul Spatola. Although a September 19, 2004 concert was listed to be his last, he was not at the show. Chris Paszik performed in his place. The concert, held at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is notable for being the first live performance of the BOTAR version of Catch 22's song "Dear Sergio:". The next departure was Jamie Egan, who left on January 22, 2005; right before Streetlight Manifesto began the Ska is Dead 2 tour, headlining alongside MU330 and the Voodoo Glow Skulls. Egan left to spend more time with his family and concentrate on his music teaching job at North Brunswick High School in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Delano Bonner came in to play trumpet starting on January 25, 2005, performing at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Dan Ross had planned to leave after the The Ska Is Dead 2 to pursue a business career, and was forced to leave early just before the end of the tour due to a family crisis. He was replaced by Mike Brown, whose first concert was at the start of the European tour. Brown's first concert in the United States was on May 31, 2005 in Baltimore. Sometime between December 3, 2006 and July 3rd, 2007, Delano Bonner left the band. Sometime before the recording of Streetlight's new album Somewhere in the Between, Matt Stewart took over Delano's spot at trumpet.
11
THE STARTING LINE
With Special Guests: Bayside, Four Year Strong
Alternative/Pop Punk/Experimental: We've all heard the story before: a young band has just released their debut album on a relatively new indie label. That album becomes an unexpected hit thanks in large part to countless miles logged in a crummy tourvan, and a whole lot of word-of-mouth publicity. This then causes the band to sign to a bigger label and, for the next year, they slave over their second record, only to watch the major that they signed to during their ascent, totally blow it when the album is released a few months later. Usually, after their new corporate handlers fumble the record, said band either breaks up or disappears completely. Thankfully, modern rockers the Starting Line have learned that it doesn't always have to turn out this way.Following the lead of one their musical heroes, Jimmy Eat World, the suburban Pennsylvania quartet have survived such a music industry foul up to record Direction, the most triumphant album of their career. "This new record is definitely something we are all very proud of," says bassist and lead singer Kenny Vasoli, who originally formed the Starting Line, along with guitarists Matt Watts, Mike Golla, and drummer Tom Gryskewicz, some eight years ago. "Just the thought of what could happen with this is making us really excited. We really hope that it can reach all sorts of new people." With infectious songs like "What You Want" and instantly memorable tracks like "Island," Direction unquestionably sounds like the type of record that could introduce the Starting Line to a whole new audience.
13
SAVES THE DAY
With Special Guests: Armor For Sleep, Set Your Goals, Metro Station
Rock/Power Pop/Punk: Saves The Day originally performed in the New Jersey area under the name Sefler as a five-piece band. The name change came sometime around late 1997. Of the original lineup, only Chris Conley remains today. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes over the years and has only recorded two consecutive albums (Through Being Cool and Stay What YouAre) with the same lineup, with Conley and guitarist David Soloway the only permanent fixtures. The band in its original form drew heavily from influential melodic hardcore bands, with their early sound often likened to that of fellow New Jersey group Lifetime. The band's first proper release, Can't Slow Down, was recorded and released through Equal Vision Records in 1998 while the members were still in high school. The band announced on January 30, 2006 that they had re-signed with Vagrant, who would release Sound The Alarm in April. The album marked a return to the band's darker lyrics and drew more from their hardcore influences than In Reverie had. During the Sound The Alarm recording sessions, the band also recorded an EP of acoustic versions of several songs from past albums, which was sold on tour throughout 2006 as Bug Sessions Volume One. The band toured extensively throughout 2006 and early 2007 in support of Sound The Alarm. In February 2007, they announced they already demoed 13 new songs for a new album, already titled Under the Boards, which was released on October 30 through Vagrant Records. On March 28, 2007, after four-and-a-half years with the band, drummer Pete Parada left the band and joined The Offspring. Carrero's Glassjaw bandmate Durijah Lang has taken over drum duties, and even recorded on Under the Boards. In a recent interview Chris Conley said the next Bug Sessions will be a collection of live songs recorded on their 30-date acoustic tour.
16
MAE
With Special Guests: The Honorary Title, Between The Trees
Rock/Alternative Pop: Mae is an American rock band that formed in Norfolk Virginia in 2001. The band's name is an acronym for Multi-sensory Aesthetic Experience, based on a course taken by drummer Jacob Marshall while a student at Old Dominion University. Jacob Marshall and Dave Elkins began what would become Mae by writing their first song, "Embers and Envelopes", in Marshall's living room. The band signed with Tooth and Nail Records and released their first album, Destination: Beautiful, in 2003. They released their second full-length album, The Everglow, in 2005. The band toured extensively to promote it, and also performed on the Vans Warped Tour. Mae re-released The Everglow in 2006, adding three new songs and a 2-hour DVD. Later in 2006, the band announced that they had fulfilled their contract with Tooth & Nail and signed to Capitol Records for their third full-length album. Mae began recording the album in the fall of 2006, working with producer Howard Benson (who has produced albums for Saosin, My Chemical Romance, and Relient K). It is titled Singularity and was released on August 14, 2007. On June 19, 2007, the band released their first single from the upcoming album titled "Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone". According to Elkins in a 2003 interview, while the band members are Christians, Mae is not a "Christian band". On September 24, 2007 Mark and Rob parted ways with Mae. The two replacement members for touring are 20-year-old Josiah Schlater on bass and Robert Smith on keyboards. Schlater and Smith are members of the band Tokyo, also from Virginia Beach.
17
PRIVATE PARTY-SGS CRAWFISH BOIL
19
CLUTCH
With Special Guests: Kamcatcha
Hard Rock/Bues/Rock: Each Clutch album is marked by a distinct and cohesive sound. The musical style of the band has migrated from metallic hardcore punk to hard rock. Strong blues influences have become prominent in the releases of the later years as vocalist/guitarist Neil Fallon notes: "We've been really conscious of the blues over the last couple of years, and you have to admit that the blues really is the source of all rock and roll. I think it's important to go to the source to find that inspiration." The lyrics of Clutch songs have progressed from early releases that were marked with an angry, serious tone to latter releases that are characterized by intelligence, wordplay, and subtle humour. The songs make frequent references to history, mythology, popular culture, and religion; for example, "I Have the Body of John Wilkes Booth", from the self-titled album, tells the story of a fisherman who discovers the corpse of Lincoln's assassin in the Susquehanna River, and Jam Room's "Release the Kraken" inserts a hero called "Useless the Younger" into the movie Clash of the Titans. The lyrics also contain some surrealistic imagery, as in this quote from Robot Hive/Exodus's "Burning Beard": "Every time I look out my window/ same three dogs looking back at me. Every time I open my windows/ cranes fly in to terrorize me."
20
BLIND MELON
With Special Guests: Three Fantastic
Rock/Jam Band/Psychadelic:Whereas most up and coming alternative bands of the early '90s borrowed from the leaders of the pack (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, etc.), Blind Melon was an exception to the rule ? their roots lay in classic rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin). And while a promising career lay ahead of them, tragedy would ultimately end the band abruptly. The group came together in 1989 in Los Angeles, the complete opposite of all the glossed up glam metal that was permeating the Sunset Strip at the time, the quintet used a refreshing back-to-basics approach, both musically and visually (giving off a heavy retro vibe early on). Capitol Records became interested solely on the strength of a four-song demo, titled The Goodfoot Workshop and were signed in 1991. The quintet toured U.S. clubs nonstop (as well as landing arena opening slots for pals.
24
CONVERGE
With Special Guests: The Red Chord, Ghengis Tron, Coliseum
Goth Harcore/Heavy Metal/Rock: Incredibly prolific punk-metal road dogs Converge were formed in 1990 and after several singles and the requisite growing pains, released their first full-length, Halo in a Haystack, in 1994. By the release of their fourth full-length, Jane Doe in 2000, Converge were regarded as one of the most original and innovative bands to emerge from the punk underground. A quartet consisting of Jacob Bannon, Kurt Ballou, Nate Newton and John DiGiorgio, the band also found time to lend out members to various side projects, including Kingdom of the Sun, Old Man Gloom and Kid Kilowatt (the short-lived band that also included members of Cave In). Trudging along, the band during that time played over 600 shows with varying success ? their hard work made it possible for them to retain their cult status within the punk underground without the kind of commercial success that has vaulted other punk bands into the middle of alternative rock radio and press.
25
TRISTAN PRETTYMAN
Acoustic/Blues/Fusion: "If someone were to say to me, "Tell me about yourself," I would just hand them a copy of Hello and say, "Here, this is everything you need to know," says singer/songwriter and guitarist Tristan Prettyman. Indeed, Hello, Prettyman's second album, is an appealing portrait of this freewheeling San Diego, CA, native as she narrates stories about her life, loves, and heartbreaks in her seductive, smoky alto. "I really wanted the album to be a reflection of me," Prettyman says. With laid-back melodies springing from finger-picked acoustic guitar, plaintive pedal-steel guitar, Wurlitzer, Hammond organ, and strings, Hello explores Prettyman's love of country-blues and folk from the '60s and '70s, artists like The Band, Joni Mitchell, and Bob Dylan. "There's something really pure and uncontrived about what they do," she says. "I really connect with that simplicity, and I think it made me write more bluesy songs." Recorded over six weeks in London with British producers and songwriters Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, Ron Sexsmith) and Sacha Skarbek (James Blunt, KT Tunstall), Hello delivers on the promise Prettyman raised with her Virgin Records debut twentythree- a critically well-received collection of "bright, breezy ditties about romantic bliss" as People magazine put it in its review.
26
SYMPHONY X
With Special Guests: Epica
Metal/Progressive/Classical Rock: Symphony X is an American progressive metal band from New Jersey founded in 1994 by guitarist Michael Romeo. Their 1997 album The Divine Wings of Tragedy and their 2000 release V: The New Mythology Suite have given the band considerable attention within the progressive metal community. Musically, Symphony X is comparable to other progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater and Fates Warning. They play in a syncopated, progressive fashion, while incorporating elements of symphonic metal and power metal into their sound. Their music also contains strong neo-classical elements reminiscent of Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, and other neo-classical metal artists. 2007: Paradise Lost- Symphony X performing at a concert in San Juan, Puerto Rico May 27, 2007. The band's new album Paradise Lost, a concept album inspired by John Milton's epic poem of the same name, was recorded in Romeo's studio and released worldwide on June 26th. The band claimed this work had darker themes musically. In a first for the band, the album included a special DVD of footage shot by the band throughout their history, exclusively available in FYE stores. This release coincided with a 14-month world tour, giving an opportunity for fans the world over to see them live. Territories include a tour through all of Europe with Dream Theater in fall 2007. The band will also play Japan, Australia, and other southeast Asia territories as well as the first ever jaunt to Russia, India, and the Middle East. Paradise Lost debuted at number 123 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart in the United States selling 6,300 copies in its first week. The record also debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. The band released a music video for " The Serpent's Kiss," which is their first music video.

For More Info:
www.meridianhouston.com

[garpk]

M A Y

2-3
HOUSTON SPLASH WEEKEND EVENT
7
THE BREEDERS
Alternative/Indie/Rock: The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Throwing Muses' Tanya Donelly. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal (vocals and guitar), her twin sister Kelley Deal (guitar and vocals), Jose Medeles (drums and percussion) and Mando Lopez (bass guitar); Kim Deal has been the band's sole continual member. Their first album, Pod (1990), received critical acclaim but was not commercially successful. The Breeders' most successful album, 1993's Last Splash, produced the hit single "Cannonball". In 2007, the band announced their forthcoming album, Mountain Battles, due in 2008.
14
THE FALL OF TROY
With Special Guests: The Dear Hunter, Foxy Shazam, Tera Melos
Progressive Metal/Experimental/Punk: The Fall of Troy formed in Mukilteo, WA, in 2002. Singer/guitarist Thomas Erak, singer/bassist Tim Ward, and drummer Andrew Forsman previously collaborated in 30 Years War, a screamo outfit they formed with fellow high school classmate Mike Munro on guitar. After a pair of self-released 2002 EPs, Martyrs Among the Casualties and Live at the Paradox, Munro left the group and the remaining trio continued as the Fall of Troy, selecting the name as before by randomly opening the pages of a history textbook. Their self-titled debut LP followed on Lujo Records in late 2003. At the time of recording, all three members were still under the age of 17, and apart from a handful of Pacific Northwest dates and a brief California tour, their live schedule was limited until the following year, when they self-released an EP, Ghostship. In mid-2005 the Fall of Troy issued Doppelgänger, their first effort for new label Equal Vision Records. The album Manipulator surfaced on record shelves in early May 2007, and spring was spent supporting the Deftones on nationwide dates.
16
REVEREND HORTON HEAT
With Special Guests: Nashville Pussy, Backyard Tire Fire
Rockabilly/Psychobilly/Rock: Reverend Horton Heat is both a three-piece psychobilly/rockabilly band from Dallas, Texas and the stage name of its singer/songwriter, Jim Heath (born in 1959 in Corpus Christi, Texas). The group originally formed in 1985, playing its first gigs in Dallas's Deep Ellum neighborhood. Its current members are Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath on guitar and lead vocals, Jimbo Wallace on the upright bass, and Paul Simmons on drums. Through relentless touring and a manic stage show, they have established themselves as one of the most popular underground acts in America. Their sound is self described as "Country-fed punkabilly." Their music is a mixture of country, punk, big band swing and rockabilly, all played loud and energetically with lyrics that are often very humorous. While attracting a mostly cult audience, The Reverend's music has found its way into a lot of different places. "Big Red Rocket of Love" was used in a commercial for the Mazda Miata, and the instrumental which they often use to open their show, "Big Sky," was the music behind a commercial for Levi's jeans. A cover of the Guadalcanal Diary song "Watusi Rodeo" was in the Jim Carrey movie Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. The band's song "Like a Rocket" (with altered lyrics) was chosen as the official Daytona 500 theme song for 2002. In 2005, the song "Eat Steak" was featured in television commercials for Boston Market, along with the song "Turkey Gotta Gobble" featured for Thanksgiving 2005. They were the theme band, with accompanying video, of the popular cartoon Johnny Bravo. The song "I Can't Surf" was part of the soundtrack of the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 published in 2001, and a slightly altered version of "Psychobilly Freakout" is featured in the game Guitar Hero II. "Psychobilly Freakout" was used on a commercial for Buell American Motorcycles. Their song Baddest Of The Bad is featured on the soundtrack to Tony Hawk's Proving Ground The 1997 PC video game Redneck Rampage also includes two songs: "Wiggle Stick" and "Nurture my Pig!". Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath has a signature guitar from the Gretsch Guitar company.
24
BLUES IN "C"
Blues/Rock: A fundraiser for people with Hepatitis C, with the best that Texas Blues has to offer. There will be free Hepatitis C screenings offered to the general public. More details TBA.
23
BOB SCHNEIDER
Roots Rock/ Folk Rock/Americiana: Bob Schneider is a fixture on the Austin scene, having kicked around for years in various bands before embarking on a solo career. He dropped out of the University of Texas at El Paso to front his first band, the funk-and-rap outfit Joe Rockhead. The band independently released three albums before disbanding immediately prior to signing with a major label. A stint with a jamming, slightly Phish-y outfit called the Ugly Americans followed, which experienced some success as an opening act for the Dave Matthews Band and Horde. In 1999, Schneider became a solo act, at first under the band name Lonelyland. Schneider's musical approach as a solo artist has proven as eclectic as the diverse musical styles of his former bands ? a little bit singer/songwriter, a whole lot of bits and pieces of funk, country, rock, and folk. Schneider has released three solo albums, and may be on the crest of bigger things with the major-label release of the second of these albums, Lonelyland. His scruffy good looks and strong, husky voice provide a good complement to his semi-confessional songwriting. His music is redolent of singer/songwriters of the '70s from Neil Young to Paul Simon, with a slightly more modern musical sensibility reminiscent of Beck.

J U N E

7
LADYTRON
With Special Guests: Data Rock
Electro/New Wave: Ladytron are an electronic pop band originally based in Liverpool, England, but originating from Sofia and Glasgow as well as Liverpool itself. They have been active from 1999-present, releasing 3 full length albums with a 4th due in spring 2008 through the Nettwerk label. They tour extensively around the world, both with live shows and DJ sets. Ladytron formed in the summer of 1999, Wu and Hunt already being friends, and meeting Marnie and Aroyo. They began recording tracks for their debut album, 604, shortly after. The album was released in early 2001 on the Emperor Norton/Invicta HIFI labels to critical acclaim, by which time their single "Playgirl" was bringing them some national and international attention. The follow up, Light & Magic, was released in Autumn 2002 to wider exposure, and spawned the underground hits "Seventeen", "Evil" and "Blue Jeans". Following 18 months on tour supporting that album, they recorded their third album, Witching Hour in early 2004. The album was released in 2005, along with two singles, including "Destroy Everything You Touch". Ladytron has a cult audience worldwide and toured extensively in support of Witching Hour from mid-2005 to mid-2007. Across Europe, they opened for Nine Inch Nails in early 2007 at the invitation of Trent Reznor. The band is currently finishing their new album, their 4th to date, set for a spring 2008 release. Ladytron has produced remixes for many artists including Placebo, Blondie, Gang of Four, David Gahan, Goldfrapp, Bloc Party, Kings of Convenience, Indochine, Apoptygma Berzerk, Soulwax, Nine Inch Nails and Simian.

J U L Y

7
SUMMER SINFEST- R-N-R PEEPSHOW
With Special Musical Guests: DollyRockers
Erotica/Fetish/S&M: More details to come.

S E P T E M B E R

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NIGHTWISH
Fantasy Rock/Rock/Metal:Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band, formed in 1996 in the town of Kitee, in eastern Finland. Nightwish is considered one of the bands responsible for the development and rise in popularity of symphonic metal at the end of the 1990s, as well as the creation of the subgenre symphonic power metal. Although the band has been prominent in their home country since the release of their first single, "The Carpenter" (1997) and debut album Angels Fall First, they did not achieve worldwide fame until the release of the albums Oceanborn and Wishmaster, which were released in 1998 and 2000 respectively. Their 2004 album, Once, led to Nightwish video clips being shown on MTV in the United States and inclusion of their music in U.S. movie soundtracks. Their biggest U.S. hit single, "Wish I Had an Angel" (2004), made it onto three U.S. film soundtracks as a means to promote their North American tour. The band produced three more singles and two music videos for the album, as well as "Sleeping Sun", from the 2005 "best of" compilation album, Highest Hopes, prior to vocalist Tarja Turunen's dismissal. Former Alyson Avenue frontwoman Anette Olzon was recently revealed as Turunen's replacement, and soon after the band released a new album, Dark Passion Play, for which the band is now touring. Even though Nightwish mainly record and play their music in English, they've also produced several songs in their native language Finnish, including the singles "Kuolema tekee taiteilijan" and "Erämaan viimeinen".

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[Tiffany]

nice.