It’s that time of year again! The Whalies award season is upon us and once again our artists are well represented on this most essential local ballot initiative. This year features some thirty-five categories covering the whole gambit of what our insanely productive music scene has to offer whether it’s punk, rock, hip hop, blues or americana. In the end, it’s not only about the winners but the scene as a whole. The Whalies is truly a celebration of the incredible musicians and artists that make the New London area such a fertile and fun place to experience live original music. You can preview the categories and make your votes over at wailingcity.com. The big event will be held on Saturday, May 26 at the Hygienic Art Park in downtown New London. Featured performers at this year’s ceremony include The Fly Ones, The Suicide Dolls, Daphne Lee Martin & Raise the Rent, Pocket Vinyl, The Weird Beards, Erik Lamb, Herff Jones and more. The event is the main fundraiser for the annual I AM Festival which returns for its sixth iteration on September 8 this year.
John Fries and the Heat are celebrating the release of a new ep called ‘U.S. 50′ with a party at the Rose Barn at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center this Saturday, May 12 at 8pm. The new release features seven new tracks of blues and rock originals featuring Fries’ signature guitar leads backed by Ron Lewis on drums and vocals with Pat Perry on the bass guitar. Joining the band for the release party will be special guests Daphne Lee Martin and Jim Carpenter, Black Marmot, Nancy Parent, Kerry Pulaski, Doug Woolverton and Rich Lataille.
The Day‘s Peter Huoppi and Rick Koster will be launching a new series this week that is well worth your interweb attention. Modeled after National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk Concerts, the live video-fed series will be dubbed Live Lunch Break and feature, in the maestros’ own words, “stripped-down, intimate and abbreviated performances that are streamed live and then archived for eternal enjoyment”. The initial offerings (debuted each Thursday) reveals a stellar list of some of the most noteworthy and notable artists from our region. So mark your calendars now and bookmark TheDay.com and enjoy some incredible music live from the offices of the region’s main rag here in New London, Connecticut debuting each Thursday at Noon.
May 10: John Fries
May 17: Jon Young (Hind Legs, Straight to VHS)
May 24: Bobby Crash & Pete Barrera (Burnouts from Outer Space)
May 31: Jim Carpenter (The Hoolios)
June 7: The Rivergods
June 14: Daphne Lee Martin (Raise the Rent)
June 21: Steve Elci & Friends
Jim Carpenter and The Hoolios will celebrate their new collection of tunes called “The Dream” with a special Cinco de Mayo show at Sneekers Cafe in Groton tonight. The collection of 11 folk and pop originals was written and produced by Carpenter who enlisted the services of some of the area’s best players for the recording including Wayne Manca, Mike Derry, Bill Light, Sandy Allen, Marcy Kelly,Laura Light, Jake Carpenter, Daphne Lee Martin, The Maclean Sisters, John Fries, Ben Parent, Hugh Birdsall, Rob Funk, Matt Nemeth, Dick Shook, Lou Bocciarelli, Corina Malbaurn, Mike Golembeski and Pat Perry. ”The Dream” is a joint release from Loco Dare Records and The Telegraph Recording Company.
Our handsome lads in The Can Kickers cut a Song Spinner with The Day while they were back in town for The Rock Fix 2012 concert at the Crocker House Ballroom this past January. Check out the story behind “Raise a Rookus”…
Daphne Lee Martin & Raise the Rent are playing a special gig at the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, CT on Friday, March 9 from 6-10pm. Part of Liquid Lounge, the show is a happy hour on steroids with the entire Science Center open as a playland for the 21+ set. DJs will spinning on multiple levels of the wonderland museum with appropriately stationed bars to keep everyone healthy with their libations of choice (the Green Lantern Cocktail and Kryptonite Shots or high on our list to sample). Daphne Lee and her band will then follow-up with a late evening gig at the beautiful Arch Street Tavern venue just around the corner.
The Telegraph Recording Company is proud to be partnering with Hygienic Art once again to present The Rock Fix at the beautiful Crocker House Ballroom (35 Union Street, New London) as part Hygienic XXXIII arts extravaganza. The line-up is another stellar sampling of artists from throughout the region making good with their tunes in 2012. We’re especially excited to host the Can Kickers in a rare reunion show (drummer Doug Schaefer now lives in Texas). Also on the bill is the excellent sonic power trio Suicide Dolls who are celebrating the release of their driving new collection ‘Prayers in Parking Lots’ which is getting strong notice all over New England and New York. Our own Daphne Lee Martin & Raise the Rent also join the fray as they celebrate the vinyl release of their debut ‘Dig & Be Dug’. Also playing: Providence’s The ‘Mericans, Mystic newcomers Herff Jones, and New London faves Recur Occurrence & The Hempsteadys.
Here’s the full line-up:
7pm Herff Jones
7:40 Recur Occurrence
8:15 The ‘Mericans
8:50 Daphne Lee Martin & Raise the Rent
9:35 The Can Kickers
10:15 The Suicide Dolls
11pm The Hempsteadys
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Admission by donation (suggested $10)
All Ages | 21+ to drink (must present ID)
