TA Live! Ticket Alternative Blog

Amanda Blank cancellation at Rock and Roll Hotel

Rock & Roll Hotel and Amanda Blank would like to apologize for the cancellation on Saturday January 30, 2010. Amanda Blank was extremely ill and unfortunately was unable to perform. The date will be rescheduled so please stay tuned to updates.

Check Out: W Magazine's Interview with Mayer Hawthorne; Playing Rock and Roll Hotel in D.C. and The Loft in Atlanta

We're really digging the smooth, hip, soulful-yet-indie sounds of Mayer Hawthorne. And now he's going on tour, stopping in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Ga. on March 10 and 13, respectively. We've got a great interview from W Magazine for you to check out:

Despite being a self-proclaimed vinyl junkie and technology geek, musician Mayer Hawthorne is far from your average nerd. Signed to top hip-hop record label Stones Throw Records, with a critically acclaimed album and a sold out international tour under his belt, Hawthorne, 30, is well on his way to becoming a veritable soul sensation.

Read more HERE.

Tickets for both shows are on sale now at Ticket Alternative.

CD Review: Chris Duarte and Bluestone Co. -- 296; Playing Juanita's, February 2 and Smith's Olde Bar, February 18

Chris Duarte and Bluestone Co.

396

By Sam Parvin

Chris Duarte’s latest album, 396, is funky from the first guitar lick. This guy can really wail, both instrumentally and vocally, and his band, Bluestone Co., rocks so hard you’d think they were a bunch of bayou boys with blues in their blood. There are obvious jazz, rock 'n' roll, blues, and even zydeco influences in his music; the subjects of his songs combine classic blues ideas like drivin’ fast down a dirt road with Chris’s life experiences, with lyrics like “I’m going back Chattahoochee side.”

Check Out: Fol Chen Cover Pink Floyd, Prince; Playing Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington D.C. April 14 with Liars

The ever-intriguing Fol Chen have been busy with their own music, it's true, but in between they've managed to find the time to record two covers for MOJO and Spin. The two magazines put out Pink Floyd and Prince tribute CDs (respectively), for which Fol Chen recorded Pink Floyd's "In The Flesh" and Prince's "The Beautiful Ones," which we have for download (click on the song to get each one).

The band are embarking on a tour with Liars, which stops at Washington, D.C.'s Rock and Roll Hotel on April 14. Tickets are on sale now at Ticket Alternative.

Cymbals Eat Guitars, Freelance Whales and Bear In Heaven to Play Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. and The EARL in Atlanta, GA

The Cymbals Eat Guitars spring tour just got a little bit more exciting. The band is now being joined by Freelance Whales as well as Bear in Heaven, making for a terrific "Best in Indie Music 2010" lineup.

Cymbals Eat Guitars have been drumming up the attention lately, with a "Best New Brooklyn Band" accolade from Village Voice and a fab Daytrotter session.

Village Voice said, "Cymbals Eat Guitars, originally a Weezer cover band when they formed in their native Staten Island, have dramatically shifted their stride since relocating to Brooklyn. Their sonic soup still contains a bit of their idols' nebbish self-effacement, but it melds deftly into psych-pop and post-punk, abetted live by singer/guitarist Joseph D'Agostino's twitching, jarring solos and bloodletting dives into his alarmed bandmates' paths."

You can get tickets for both the shows at Ticket Alternative.

Win Tickets for Chris Duarte and More at Juanita's in Little Rock, AR

We have a great handful of tickets to give away for Juanita's in Little Rock. To win, email win@ticketalternative.com with the artist name in the subject line. Tickets are all available at Ticket Alternative.

Chris Duarte (pictured above) plays on February 2. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Living Sacrifice come to Little Rock on February 6. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

And lastly, John Cowan Band will be at Juanita's on February 20. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Win Tickets for The Slackers, Greg Laswell and More at Rock and Roll Hotel and DC9

We have some great tickets to give away for upcoming shows at Rock and Roll Hotel and DC9. Email us at win@ticketalternative.com with the band name in the subject for your chance to win, or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

People Under The Stairs play Rock and Roll Hotel January 24. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win, or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Smooth ska group The Slackers play Rock and Roll Hotel on January 28. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Retribution Gospel Choir come to D.C. for a show at Rock and Roll Hotel on February 4. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Greg Laswell plays two shows at DC9, one on February 6 and another on February 13. Email win@ticketalternative.com with either date in the email for your chance to win, or buy tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Finally, Madball play Rock and Roll Hotel on February 11. Email win@ticketalternative.com for your chance to win tickets or buy them at Ticket Alternative.

Just Announced: Sevendust @ The Rock in Maplewood, Minn., February 23

Atlanta's alternative metal group Sevendust are coming to The Rock in Maplewood on February 23. They've been recording a record for the past few months and will be playing plenty of new stuff for the April 2010 release. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 5 p.m. at Ticket Alternative.

Check Out: Franz Nicolay Announces He's Leaving The Hold Steady; Playing Solo Show @ DC9, February 20

Franz Nicolay, who is embarking on a solo tour that has already been announced, wrote a message on his website about leaving The Hold Steady yesterday:

1/20/10

You should know: I've left The Hold Steady. I told the band I'd be leaving in early September, played my last show with them in Minneapolis around Thanksgiving, and dotted the t's and crossed the i's this week. Five years seemed like a nice round number. Thanks to everyone who was a part of the experience, especially the Unified Scene, who are nice folks. I'll see you all soon in any case.

In the meantime: My story collection Complicated Gardening Techniques is out next month, "Guignol & Mischief Brew Fighty Dirty" is out now, as is my EP "St. Sebastian of the Short Stage; and I'm producing a record from Brooklyn's The Debutante Hour. EDIT: And a Valentine's Day 7" release of the Comedian Harmonists-inspired acapella project "World/Inferno Presents: Vox Inferne."

Franz Nicolay plays DC9 February 20. Tickets are on sale at Ticket Alternative.

Dancing With Vero's Stars at The Waxlax Center for the Performing Arts in Vero Beach, FL

For those wanting to see an evening of "tempting tangos, sizzling salsas and jiving jitterbug performing by locals starts and professional dance instructors" while raising money for a great cause (the Indian River County's Healthy Start Coalition), then you are in luck. Dancing With Vero's Stars is coming to The Waxlax Center for the Performing Arts in Vero Beach, Fla. on March 13. Tickets are on sale now at Ticket Alternative.

SOLD OUT: Freelance Whales @ Black Cat, January 21

Hope you all managed to get your tickets for tonight's Freelance Whales show at Black Cat in Washington, D.C., because it's sold out! But tickets are still available for We Are Scientists, who are playing the venue's main stage the same night. Get your tickets at Ticket Alternative.

Ticket Alternative sponsors the January GAPTA meeting.

Ticket Alternative was proud to sponsor the January GAPTA meeting held at the South West Arts Center in Atlanta. The bi-monthly meeting is attended by members of the ticketing industry in Georgia. The members include staff from the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, Frederick J Brown Amphitheatre, Ticketmaster, Atlantix, Cobb Energy Center, Fabulous Fox Theater, Georgia Dome, Center For Puppetry Arts, Rialto Center for the Performing Arts and many more.

Every other month, the group gets together to share industry experience and discuss relevant topics over lunch. The meeting is held at a different venue each time and provides an opportunity to tour each venue and see their ticketing operations.

If you're interested in joining the group, please visit www.gapta.info or visit them on Facebook

Happy Birthday Luis!

It's the birthday of our wonderful ticket-printing guru Luis Sandoval! So in celebration of this lovely day, we've decked out his printing room digs, giving the usual dungeon-esque style a bit of brightness. And we're getting some burgers delivered to celebrate at lunch!

Check Out: Dazed Digital's Interview with Henry Rolins; Playing Juanita's in Little Rock, Ark., February 25

Dazed Digital has a very enlightening interview with punk-legend-turned-spoken-word-artist Henry Rollins, who gives his thoughts on what he'll be speaking about on his upcoming tour. And boy does he have some thoughts...

"America has a new president, which is interesting in that it sparks a lot of racism in my country. Racism that was dormant or not really that evident is now all over the place in America. These people were always around it wasn’t just like, 'Ding! I’ll be a racist now!' it’s more like, “Now I’ve got a microphone!” It’s really depressing, so I deal with all of that."

Check out the rest of the interview here and then buy your tickets for his gig at Juanita's on February 25 at Ticket Alternative.