Lucky Number 7 - Allen & Heath Hits the Jackpot in Vegas!

Allen & Heath hit the jackpot at the 2018 InfoComm Show. Its newly introduced SQ-7 Digital Mixer won a “Best of Show” award from NewBay Media’s Pro Audio Group who noted its technical performance, value, versatility and reliability. Its special training session was a big hit with attendees. And, the Allen & Heath booth was busy from the show opening until the final closing hours.

Along with the SQ-7 debut, Allen & Heath introduced interactive video displays for its ME Personal Monitoring system, a focused installed-sound #WallOfInstall, and ‘real world’ application touch panels and controllers from Allen & Heath and 3rd-parties such as AMX, Attero Tech, Extron and RDK. The company also highlighted its dLive Digital Mixing System version V1.7 firmware with Shure integration.

In the Allen & Heath training session, “Designing Efficient, Cost-Effective Distributed Audio and Integrated Hardware Control”, Installation Product Manager Martijn Verkerk presented a wide range of topics from audio networking basics to more advanced system design strategies. Verkerk commented, “Having the opportunity to share and discuss various approaches to distributed audio and interactive AV was wonderful. As often happens, we learned as much from attendees as they learned from us when it comes to unique ways of designing and configuring highly flexible Allen & Heath installed solutions.”

Jeff Hawley, Marketing Manager, Allen & Heath USA, said, “The Allen & Heath booth was hopping through the entire show, with queues forming around the SQ-7 and our other interactive displays. For SQ, fans spoke and we listened by bringing out this new mixer with more faders, more I/O, more custom control and a more impressive footprint. The ‘Best of Show’ designation is a true honor and we’re excited to see SQ continue to set the new standard in the compact digital console market.”

The Stray Birds Announce New Album Let It Pass, Release first single “Nothing To Say About It Now” and announce initial 2018 fall tour dates

Nashville, Tenn. -- June, 15, 2018 -- If The Stray Birds were going to make another album, there was only one way it would happen: together. The idea was at once a challenge, an ultimatum, and a survival mechanism for a band at the crossroads. Write the record collaboratively, or don’t write it at all. Let It Pass, the record resulting from the crossroads, is The Stray Birds’ most powerful, personal, and cathartic collection yet. Releasing September 7th on Yep Roc Records, Let It Pass charts the trio’s tumultuous emotional journey in the years since the release of their acclaimed 2016 album Magic Fire, a period which saw fiddler/guitarist/banjoist/vocalist Maya de Vitry and fiddler/guitarist/mandolinist/vocalist Oliver Craven end their romantic relationship while choosing to continue their musical one. Along with bassist/banjoist/vocalist Charlie Muench, the pair had to face down an uncertain future and reevaluate what it meant to create art together.

Today, the band released "Nothing To Say About It Now," the first single from the forthcoming album. Listen here. Muench calls the song a meditation, a space where the listener can suspend the past and future and listen to the moment. He explains that “...during a lot of the writing of this record we were reckoning with both past resentments and anxiety about where we were headed. The simple one-note verse melody and the airy harmonies create otherworldly and timeless qualities to the song while the backbeat feels like deep breaths.” The band wrote “Nothing To Say About It” as a “haven for the distracted, the overloaded, and the anxiety-ridden of today,” a truly timely track for 2018. The Stray Birds take an unflinching look at themselves in the mirror with this record and the first single, but it’s not hard to zoom out and hear the parallels here with a divided nation similarly navigating its way through a metaphorical maelstrom. Also announced today is the band’s 2018 fall tour with dates ranging from early September in Philadelphia, PA, to late November in Asheville, NC, routing through the midwest, along the West Coast, and down into the southern United States-- with more dates to be added in the coming weeks.

Rising Appalachia Announces European Tour + looks forward to Winnipeg Folk Festival, Pickathon, and Red Rocks

 

June 15, 2018 -- Last month, Rising Appalachia, the Southern-based folk band lead by sisters Chloe Smith and Leah Song, released their new single “Resilient,” an anthem for seeking calm in the chaos-storm that has descended upon American and the world at large. NPR Music's Bob Boilen championed the video, premiering it on All Songs TV calling the track an "...uplifting, original folk song for these challenging times." Also, Rolling Stone Country named the band in their roundup 10 Country Artists You Need to Know commenting that "Resilient" sounds like "protest music for the modern age, bolstered by delicate, skillful musicianship and otherworldly vocal harmonies." Yesterday, the band announced plans to take “Resilient” to Europe, a 2o show tour with stops in the U.K., Germany, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Switzerland. Before heading to Europe, the band will play at some of the summer’s best festivals including Winnipeg Folk and Pickathon. In July, the band will share a bill with String Cheese Incident at the oft bucket-listed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO.

The band looks forward to taking the healing power of music and of “Resilient,” a song written while touring the Pacific Coast after the United States 2016 presidential election, across the pond in August and September. Chloe notes that the song was written because “I needed to hear those very words myself... to remind me to be my highest self in the face of chaos and adversity, and to use my platform to encourage others to do the same.” She continues, “...honestly, with so much animosity in the country it was challenging to muster up the energy for the public every night on stage. There was a deeper need to internalize and be more private, to sit with the bones of our work and re-envision what we would be doing in the years to come.” The world at large can benefit from and connect with a song like “Resilient,” which is exactly why the band will tour Europe this summer.

As fate would have it, the tour that followed the 2016 presidential election, dubbed the ‘Resiliency Tour’, led to linking up with the International Indigenous Youth Council who invited Rising Appalachia to perform at the center fire for a few days in Standing Rock after the water cannons were blasted at peaceful water protectors-- the irony palpable. Chloe points out that “...honor was not broken despite the pipeline going through. The whole world witnessed the resilient power of that movement, we too remembered our place in the turning of the tides.” The following month of tour was both rich and healing for Rising Appalachia; full of community dialogue, meet and greets, and honest connection through story and song-- the songwriters reminded of what it means to be resilient, and were returned to their original shape after being bent and broken.

“Resilient” reveals both vulnerability and strength in the search for that which can't be silenced. Leah comments, “After everything that has happened in these past couple of years, and is still happening, we need to remember that we the people are resilient, and can become more so. To live with hope in a time where apathy is rampant--even excessive-- in a great act of resistance. What we choose to bring into our focus in this life will greatly affect our very own reality let alone the world around us.”

Long time allies and defenders of indigenous rights, social justice and ecological protection, it’s no surprise that with “Resilient,” Rising Appalachia captured the angst and helplessness oft felt by both victims and activists. The track speaks to the soul in poetic honesty, backed by banjo and bodhran, urging listeners to get back up again and to find pathways of strength and empowerment when confronted with conflict. When rooted in compassion and education-- we can become resilient. When we listen more and talk less-- we can become resilient.

Their sound and message, as revealed in the newest single, “Resilient,” suggest that voices and traditions, brought together through song, may be one of the saving graces to a world in distress. And in an effort to bring more voices and traditions together, the band will continue into Europe; “widening our circle,” as noted by the sisters on Rising Appalachia’s Facebook post announcing the tour. In a time when the fabric of community and culture often appear to be unraveling, their interweaving of music and mission, old traditions with new interpretations, creates an atmosphere of contagious hope and bliss.

Listen to "Resilient" here: https://fanlink.to/KR4

Show And Tell Mixes Festival International de Louisiane Broadcast with Allen & Heath

 

This year’s “Festival International de Louisiane” in Lafayette, Louisiana attracted over 300,000 festival goers with a world-wide audience listening to an FM and streaming broadcast from the festival’s Main Stage mixed on an Allen & Heath dLive C Class C3500 digital mixing system with DM0 MixRack.

Paul McCasland of Show And Tell Productions mixed the live broadcast from a temporary studio in the nearby Lafayette Science Museum. “I’ve been doing this particular event for over 15 years,” he said. “And, this year, we had a 48-channel Dante split from the Main Stage fed directly to us over a fiber network.”

McCasland mixed down to a stereo pair fed to another temporary studio in the museum where radio station KRVS combined the four festival stages with live commentary and interviews using an Allen & Heath SQ5 digital mixer also supplied by Show And Tell.

“Last year, I used an Allen & Heath GLD-80 digital mixer for this event and it was great,” said McCasland. “But, this year, I needed more inputs so I tried out a dLive for the first time. And, I was able to figure out everything and do all of the routing and configuration before the first band started. It’s very intuitive.”

“I have a couple of audience mics which add some ‘air’ to the broadcast mix,” continued McCasland. “I dialed-out the wind noise on those mics with a high-pass filter and used the channel compressors when someone started screaming into a mic on the stage. And, I was very happy with the on-board effects like the reverb. The Allen & Heath effects sound great – I can’t say that enough.”

"Next year, we want to get the other stages into my mix with Dante splits,” said McCasland. “And, I could handle all of them with one dLive. The beauty of this console is it’s pretty much what you want it to be!”

Iconic Burning Man Art Car Mayan Warrior To Make East Coast Debut At The Brooklyn Mirage

On June 9th, the globally-revered Mayan Warrior will make its first East Coast appearance and debut the full art car as the Mexico City-based Burning Man staple takes over The Brooklyn Mirage in New York City for this once in a lifetime event. As with their famed Playa parties, where tens of thousands gather before the rich aural and visual spectacle each year, the artistry of many are woven together under the care of founder and creator Pablo Gonzalez Vargas for an unrivaled light and sound experience.

Mayan Warrior Compilation from Mayan Warrior on Vimeo.

From the iconic painting of Alex Grey to the Huichol art that adorns the central mandala to the tribal design of the vehicle itself, no opportunity was spared to create a sacred backdrop for a cadre of the most dynamic DJs and producers on and off the playa. Tickets can be purchased on Resident Advisor while supplies last. Note that this event is expected to sell out in advance.

With the event rapidly approaching, Mayan Warrior has now announced some of the special special guests who will be gracing the decks at The Brooklyn Mirage from 6pm-4:30am. This will include Mayan Warrior residents like Rebolledo , Dramian, Concret, and Mandrake, along with more Mayan Warrior veterans and unannounced specials guests performing throughout the night.
Other artists outside of the music include Paolo Montiel, a prominent experimental lightning designer responsible for the light design of the Chichén Itzá pyramids and right hand of James Turrell in his Latin America protects, along with Mark Nath, an experienced laser designer for 20 years doing mayor shows with Jay-Z , Kanye West, The killers, Ice Cube, Swedish House Mafia, Lady Gaga, Tiesto and Eric Prydz.

This is a rare chance to see what many describe as Black Rock City’s most iconic art car outside of its natural habitat with proceeds going towards Mayan Warrior’s appearance at Burning Man 2018. Inspired by Mayan and Huichol lineages and enhanced by state-of-the-art sound and lighting design, Mayan Warrior is a product of Mexican creatives led by artist and entrepreneur Pablo Gonzalez Vargas.

His endeavors also expand far beyond the Burning Man community as he is also the founder of Sr. Pago, one of the leading e-payment platforms in Latin America. As if having his hands in both the art and tech world wasn’t enough, he is also the founder of EXA Radio & TV, which has grown to become one of the most influential media outlets and voices for the Latin American youth market.
More recently Vargas created Ilumina, an interactive light and sound installation that first appeared at Burning Man in 2017 and is described as a “profound visual, aural, and mystical experience that highlights the interconnectivity of our planet and enhances the global energy field.” Vargas is a brilliant mind who is motivated by grandiose visions and an even more grandiose drive to materialize them.

Currents New Media Festival: June 8 - 24, 2018

ozge samanci & gabriel caniglia - you are the ocean - interactive installation

joel hobbie - neuron

Opening Weekend: June 8 - 10

Location: El Museo Cultural
555 Camino de la Familia
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Join us for the 9th annual edition of CURRENTS NEW MEDIA festival at the Railyard in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 2018 will boast over 90 collaborating artists in the fields of interactive installations, VR and AR environments, multimedia performances, single-channel videos, animation, robotics, app projects, experimental documentaries, 3D printing, and more.

Anastasia Samoylova- Cliffs

CURRENTS NEW MEDIA brings together the work of established and emerging new media artists from around the world for events that incorporate cutting-edge new media technology, visual arts, and community interaction. The festival introduces the public to new technology molded by artists into vehicles for expression and the communication of ideas – broadening the definition of 21st century art making and fostering a more expansive use of technology.

Playform-Interactive-Installation-Mikhail-Mansion-and-Kuan-Ju-Wu

Full list of 2018 artists and events:
www.currentsnewmediaorg.com/festivals/2018/

Opening weekend information:
www.currentsnewmedia.org/events/opening-weekend-currents-2018/

CURRENTS NEW MEDIA festival is presented by Parallel Studios, a 501(c)3 organization committed to reinvigorating creativity in the arts with an emphasis on community participation and free, public access.

Ronen Sharabani

Del McCoury, Travelin’ McCourys Release New Records, DelFest 2018 Highlights

Photo by Stuart Dahne

May 30, 2018 -- Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, including one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audiences number in the tens of thousands, and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as two among hundreds, there is Del. On May 25th (the same weekend as the 11th annual all-star DelFest event) Del McCoury released his new album Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass (the album title is a nod to his 1968 record, Del McCoury Sings Bluegrass). On Sunday, NPR’s Weekend Edition aired an interview with Del and his son Ronnie to discuss the latest release and to talk in detail about DelFest. Listen here. Also on May 25th, The Travelin’ McCourys (Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, Rob McCoury on banjo, with fiddler Jason Carter, bassist Alan Bartram, and latest recruit Cody Kilby on guitar) released their debut self-titled record. Both bands played multiple times at DelFest — epic release shows to say the least.

DelFest, in its 11th year, is the highlight of Memorial Day Weekend for both attending fans and musicians, fest-veteran Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show mentioning during a press conference that the band always looks forward to Memorial Day in beautiful Cumberland, MD. Notable performances from this year’s festival include: Rhiannon Giddens, The Dawg Trio, Fruition, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Mandolin Orange, Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Rising Appalachia, Richard Thompson, Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush Band, Sierra Hull, The Jerry Douglas Band, The Wood Brothers and a rowdy festival close-out set by Old Crow Medicine show. For a full list of performances, please click here.

Del McCoury’s Bluegrass Congress was called to order on Saturday, May 26th, and featured the McCourys along with all-star musicians Ricky Skaggs, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton and Stuart Duncan. The exclusive Congress invite (hand written on parchment paper) was mailed in July 2017 by Del himself, inviting the select group of artists to join him in making musical history-- a collaboration that only could have happened at DelFest. The importance of the Congress is layered, a varied significance appealing to fans in specific ways. For fans with connections to Cumberland, MD, or those with an affinity for our nation’s history, the physical location of the Congress is paramount.

When George Washington made three memorable journeys to Western Maryland between 1748 and 1756, the Declaration of Independence was still 20 years away. What happened to Washington between age 17 and 24 in Maryland sowed the seeds for his heroic role in the creation of our nation. First as a teenage surveyor, then a Colonel in the Virginia Militia, and ultimately as an aide to ill-fated British General Edward Braddock, Washington participated in the pivotal battles and political events of the French and Indian War. He came to understand that the monetary interests of his family, the crown and the proprietor governors of the British Colonies were one in the same, and that wars were being fought not for freedom, but for wealth.

Cumberland, MD, the home of DelFest, was the last place in which Washington served a British King. When he returned in 1794 to Fort Cumberland one last time, nearly 40 years later, the Revolution had been fought and won and he was the President of the United States.

So, it is very fitting that Del McCoury, the living and thriving leader of the DelFest Nation, would host a revolutionary gathering of the greats of bluegrass here in Maryland Mountains — where important seeds of the American Revolution were sown, over 250 years ago.

Today, Rolling Stone Country premiered the video for “White House Blues,” one of the stand-out songs from the Congress set. Watch here.

With two record releases and a major music festival all in the month of May, it’s clear how important the McCourys are to so many — both within the bluegrass genre and outside of it, the varied festival lineup pointing to Del’s legacy across formats. What’s next for Del? He’s looking forward to playing Bonnaroo, Telluride, San Francisco Jazz Festival, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, and more. Check his website (linked below) for a full tour schedule. The Travelin’ McCourys are also hitting the road this summer with stops at some of music’s best festivals (tour dates listed on their website, linked below), with show dates mixed in, too.

For more information or to purchase the new records, please visit http://www.delmccouryband.com/ and http://www.thetravelinmccourys.com/.