Interviews

Although he’s still figuring it out what it means to be a New Englander, Ryan Montbleau can at least know he’s resilient.  After ten years of steadily touring the Northeast, Monbleau  has finally reached a pinnacle, calling 2010 a year that “I’ll remember for a long time.”  The singer-songwriter/guitarist has just released his fourth studio album – the eclectic and plentiful Heavy on the Vine, produced by Martin Sexton.

Just when you thought the ticket buying process was a no win monopoly, up and comers Ticketfly is working on the fans' side to revolutionize the ticket buying process for both live music fans and promoters /venue owners alike.

Jonny Lang, best known for fiery guitar licks and from-the-gut singing, has been playing onstage since he was fourteen. His debut album hit big in 1997 with the single “Lie To Me”, propelling him into a meteoric rise to fame and fortune, partying and drugs. Along the way, Jonny also became a well-respected musician, playing at the first Crossroads concert with Eric Clapton, winning a Grammy, and jamming alongside legends like Buddy Guy and BB King.  With his new live CD, Live At The Ryman, Jonny is getting back to his roots.

Sometimes choosing where to spend your concert dollars can begin by going in the direction of who is performing on stage, not matter where it may take place. But for others, it’s all about the venue. In the first of a series of venue ratings, starting with the Big Apple, Hidden Track has revealed the best 15 music venues in New York City. Broken down by History, Comfort, Sound & Sightlines and Vibe – this reveling list has everything you need to know about the top music rooms in NYC.

With a new CD  coming out August 31, the Goo Goo Dolls have not just been sitting around waiting for it to be released. They have actually been out there on the road, playing those new songs for their fans on the first leg of a tour that will have them hopping on and off the tour bus for many months to come. Titled Something For The Rest Of Us, this is The Dolls first CD of original music since 2006. Recently, barefooted bass player Robby Takac took some time out of his busy schedule to talk (and laugh) with GLIDE about the new album, the Dolls longevity, and finally figuring out where the notes are on his bass.

The dual threat of guitarist, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman), and rapper/emcee, Boots Riley (The Coup), have returned this summer with new Street Sweeper Social Club firepower to spark revolution.  This mighty duo provides songs that resonate on the battlefront of social injustice. Recently, Street Sweeper Social Club rapper/emcee, Boots Riley, took the time to speak with Glide about the new album among other things.

Media moguls and home-based bloggers have watched Wolf Parade evolve from the quirky newbies to the full-fledged masters of weird — now known for carrying their unconventional, multi-layered arrangements and howl-yelp vocal styles in tow like a pocketed trademark. The Montreal indie-rockers conquered "the debut album" with the brilliant Apologies to the Queen Mary in 2005, and avoided "the sophomore slump" by putting out the darker, yet still pleasant puzzler At Mount Zoomer in 2008. But now what?

Some albums come out and change the game of how music can be perceived and understood.  It doesn’t have to be The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Dr. Dre’s original, The Chronic or more recently, Radiohead’s quintessential, Kid A.  For The Glitch Mob, their debut album Drink the Sea-which hit shelves a month ago with the surprisingly genre-defying appeal, achieves this status, maybe without you even knowing it.

After having played two smokin’ sets at Bonnaroo for their record-breaking sixth appearance. Glide recently caught up with Umphrey’s singer-guitarist Brendan Bayliss right before he and Jeff Austin (band mate in side project 30db) had the honor of singing the National Anthem at Wrigley Field.

For nine years now, summer time in the Pacific Northwest has been graced with the musical bounty that is Yonder Mountain String Band’s annual Northwest String Summit. Not only has this festival brought some of the most influential bluegrass pickers of both national and international fame together in Oregon, but this conflux of incredible talent has continued to grace the northwest at one of the most intimate and beautiful venues in the nation, Horning's Hideout. Glide had a chance to talk to Jeff Austin about String Summit's of past and present.