3LW Aimee Mann Alana Davis American Hi-Fi Amerie Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra Ashanti B-52's Ben Harper Bob Dylan Buddy Guy Caitlin Cary Cam'ron Cowboy Mouth Cracker Crosby, Stills, Nash Dave Mason Deeper Shade of Soul Def Leppard Disco Biscuits Donnie Drive-By Truckers drivin n cryin Edgar Winter Evanescence Eve Everclear Fat Joe Francine Reed Franky Perez G. Love & Special Sauce Gipsy Kings Godsmack Gomez Gov't Mule India.Arie Jack Johnson Joe Cocker Jorma Kaukonen & Blue Country K-Ci & JoJo

King's X Leftover Salmon Live LL Cool J Matt Nathanson Mavericks Medeski Martin & Wood Ming & FS Mofro Morris Day and The Time Nivea Particle Ratdog Richard Smallwood & Vision Saliva Seether Shaggy Sheryl Crow Sixpence None the Richer Social Burn Sound Tribe Sector 9 Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes Spookie Daly Pride Stereomud Steve Winwood Susan Tedeschi The Disco Biscuits The Gain The Gipsy Kings The Isley Brothers The Les Claypool Frog Brigade Tim Easton Tonex Tonic Tony Bennett Trapt Unwritten Law VHS or Beta Vivian Green

These artists are all performing at some time during this year's Music Midtown in Atlanta (and likely at numerous music festivals around the country this summer). Is one of them your favorite? If so, what should I buy/borrow/download to get a sense of what they're like and why I should care about them?

das

What the hell are your TVs going to do while you are away?????

• Quoth dek •<HR SIZE=1>What the hell are your TVs going to do while you are away?????

<HR SIZE=1>

I won't actually be leaving the house. I will, however, be sending Johnny 5 to be my eyes and ears at the event.

das

Since the only person on your list that I have seen in concert in Bob Dylan, I would recommend you buy at the very least his last two albums (Time Out of Mind, and Love + Theft) this will help to adjust you to his "new" voice and most of the songs he plays nowadays are from Love + Theft.

Go to this website www.gdlive.com . It has a bunch of shows, some mp3s, but most are shortened (.shn) files that are lossless compression. Click on the miscellaenous shows in the shortened section and look for Les Claypool Fearless flying frog brigade (it would be listed as LCFFFB or FFFB, just look for 3 Fs). Download a show or 2. He really does put on good show, although I do not like his lastest album Purple Onion.

Some links directly to the shows.

http://www.gdlive.com/xtrasshn/lcfffb2001-07-20.shnf/
http://www.gdlive.com/xtrasshn/LCFFFB2001-07-24.shnf/

They are big files, so I would only recommend downloaded with DSL or cable or at work.

das, I like a few bands on that list... here are songs I'd recommend to you:

Sixpence None the Richer: I like the song "Kiss Me", but this band is much deeper than that.
Try downloading "Sister, Mother" "I Can't Catch You" and "Tonight"

If you like country music at all the Mavericks are one of the best in the biz. Try "Dance the Night Away" or anything on their album "What a Crying Shame" ("There Goes My Heart" "O What a Thrill")

Drivin' n' Cryin... wow, I'm not sure how to suggest these guys because they were great when they started, went through a crappy phase, but now they are back to some decent music. It's like if Lynyrd Skynyrd was heavily influenced by punk. They can be very southern one moment, almost metal-ish another and then play some pretty acoustic stuff. I saw them 10 times between '86 and '89. Big fan. I'm sure they are worth seeing, especially since they are an Atlanta band that will have a happy crowd there.

Cracker is also a fun live band (alternative country-flavored pop/rock)

Thanks for the suggestions, moi, Stew and nameless wonder. I thought about qualifying which artists I am very familiar with but decided against it in case this could be helpful for someone else.

I'd say off that list I have a good idea of the sound of about 50% of them, particularly Cracker and Drivin' n' Cryin' (own 3 CDs from each and have seen each in concert -- I live in Atlanta; how could I avoid Drivin' n' Cryin' ).

Anyway, keep the suggestions coming por favor. Hopefully some people have heard of the lesser acts whose names are foreign to me. For example, I know nothing about Stereomud other than their website kicking some serious ass.

das

Particle is an improvisational funk band from L.A. that uses a lot of techno-inspired rhythms. Their music is very energetic and a lot of fun. www.particlepeople.com or www.roadsabreeze.com

Drive By Truckers is a band from Alabama. Southern rock sound but a little heavier. Recommend if you like the Allmans, Widespread Panic, and even some Drivin n Cryin. www.drivebytruckers.com

Disco Biscuits are similar to, but even better than, Particle. Really creative jamband. Their sound is all over the place but relies a lot on electronic rhythms. Highly recommended. www.discobiscuits.com or www.discobiscuits.net

Caitlin Cary is an alt-country singer/songwriter. She used to be in Whiskeytown (with Ryan Adams), if that helps. Good music. Never seen her live though. www.caitlincary.com

Medeski Martin & Wood are one of my favorites...avant garde jazz with a bit of funk and rock thrown in for good measure. Insanely creative and wonderful live (though sometimes a bit abstract for some) www.mmw.net

Leftover Salmon is fun, energetic, jammy bluegrass (they call themselves "Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass"). I haven't seen these guys in years, and some members of the band have changed. They're talented, and they're fun. They're not one of my favorites though. www.leftoversalmon.com

Sound Tribe Sector 9 plays live electronica-style music. I've never seen them live, but they are good. I'd check em out. www.sts9.com

G. Love and Special Sauce is hip hop influenced blues music. Very talented live performer (and he seems to attract some very attractive women to his shows). www.philadelphonic.com

Les Claypool's Frog Brigade is like Primus, only with extended jams. If you like Les, you like Les. Les gets on my nerves, so I'm not one to judge him. www.lesclaypool.com

Kick ass! Thanks for the detail!

das