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Chris Janson LIVE at The Bluestone on Thursday, June 21st, 2018!
*Doors for the show will open at 7PM
*Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 day of show
Ticket On-Sale NOW!
Warner Bros. Records/Warner Music Nashville country artist Chris Janson was born to entertain crowds. The electrifying multi-instrumentalist is known as much for his hit songwriting as his “infectious” (Billboard) performances, with Rolling Stone describing him as having “a mesmerizing stage presence that most arena-headlining artists would kill for.”
“Fix a Drink”, the lead single from his highly anticipated sophomore album Everybody, went Top 10 at country radio, though Janson is no stranger to the charts. In 2015, Chris Janson’s breakthrough No. 1 Platinum single “Buy Me A Boat” was the 7th bestselling country song of the year. The singer/songwriter has also penned multiple top-charting hits including “Truck Yeah” (Tim McGraw), “That’s How I’ll Always Be” (Tim McGraw), “I Love This Life” (LoCash), and over 25 additional hit songs recorded by a long list of established artists.
Chris Janson joined Sam Hunt on the road for the 15 in a 30 Tour and announced The EVERYBODY Tour with headlining dates through 2017. He has become a Grand Ole Opry regular, taking the legendary stage more than 150 times to date, and made numerous television appearances including The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CONAN, The Today Show, ACM Awards and ACCA Awards.
Joe Diffie LIVE at The Bluestone on June 29th, 2018
*Opening Artist: Dillon Carmichael and David Adam Byrnes
*Doors for the show will open at 7PM
*Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show
Tickets On-Sale Now!
Joe Diffie was regarded by many of his peers as one of the better vocalists in contemporary country, and lent his traditional sensibilities to humorous, rock-tinged novelties and plaintive ballads. Diffie was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1958 and grew up in a musical family, first performing in public at age four with his aunt’s country band. He played in a rock band during high school, and later moved on to a gospel quartet and, during college, a bluegrass band called the Special Edition. He worked on his songwriting and singing over the next few years while working in a foundry, and caught a break when his “Love on the Rocks” was recorded by Hank Thompson. When Randy Travis nearly recorded another of his songs, Diffie was convinced he had a shot in the business, and moved to Nashville in 1986. He took a job at the Gibson guitar plant while continuing to write songs, and became an in-demand demo singer as well. Holly Dunn’s 1989 recording of a Diffie collaboration, “There Goes My Heart Again,” proved a major hit, and Diffie found himself a hot commodity. He signed with Epic and released his debut album, A Thousand Winding Roads, in 1990. His first single, “Home,” went all the way to number one on the country charts, and “If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)” duplicated that feat; meanwhile, two more singles from the album, “If You Want Me To” and “New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame),” reached number two.
Diffie became a regular hitmaker over the rest of the ’90s, and scored again with his sophomore LP, 1992’s Regular Joe; “Is It Cold in Here” and “Ships That Don’t Come In” both made the Top Five. Known primarily for his ballads at this point in his career, Diffie switched things up with 1993’s Honky Tonk Attitude, which emphasized his rambunctious, rocking side and sense of humor, and proved to be his biggest-selling album yet. The title track, “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die),” and “John Deere Green” all went Top Five. Sticking with engaging humor as the selling point of his hugely popular follow-up, 1994’s Third Rock from the Sun, Diffie scored two number ones with the title track and “Pickup Man,” plus a Top Five hit in “So Help Me Girl.” 1995 brought a holiday album, Mr. Christmas, as well as a proper release in Life’s So Funny, which gave Diffie his fifth number one hit in “Bigger Than the Beatles.” 1997’s Twice Upon a Time saw his commercial momentum slipping a bit, and so Epic issued a Greatest Hits compilation the following year; its new song, “Texas Sized Heartache,” returned Diffie to the Top Five. 1999’s A Night to Remember was the most straight-ahead, traditional country record Diffie had yet recorded, and it gave him two Top Ten hits in the title cut and “It’s Always Somethin’.” He returned to his more established style for 2001’s In Another World, which found him transferred to Sony’s reactivated Monument subsidiary; its title track went Top Ten early the next year. Tougher Than Nails followed in 2004, then in 2010 Diffie returned to bluegrass for Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album, which was released by Rounder Records and was greeted by warm reviews.
Diffie had a bit of an unexpected revival in early 2013, when his name provided the chorus of Jason Aldean’s party-hearty hit “1994.” Later that year, Diffie set out on the road with fellow country singers Sammy Kershaw and Aaron Tippin on a tour called All in the Same Boat; the trio released an accompanying album of the same name in May. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi
David Nail will perform live at The Bluestone on Friday, July 20th, 2018!
*Opening Artist: Alan Carl
*Doors will OPEN at 7PM
*Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show
Tickets On-Sale June, 8th 2018 at 10AM!
Biography
A country artist with an agile voice, a gift for songwriting, and a passionate performing style, David Nail was born in Kennett, Missouri on May 18, 1979. Music was a major part of the Nail household — his father was a high school band director proficient on a number of instruments, and his mother sang in the church choir. His parents had an extensive and eclectic record collection, but country music wasn’t on Nail’s radar until he was 14 and attended a school talent show. One of the entrants sang a version of Travis Tritt’s “Anymore,” and Nail was so taken with the song he immediately asked his folks to buy him a copy of Tritt’s recording. In high school, Nail sang in the school’s choir, appeared in local talent shows, and began writing songs, but he was also a fine baseball player with a .385 batting average, and he was accepted at Aquinas College on a sports scholarship. However, a shoulder injury ended his baseball career during his first college season, and Nail returned home to sort out his options. He resumed his education at Arkansas State University, but when he was 20, he spent a few days in Nashville and was inspired to take another shot at a career in music. He moved to Music City, concentrated on his songwriting, and was playing a few songs at a party when, as luck would have it, he was heard by the daughter of record producer Keith Stegall. She told her father that Nail was a talent worth hearing, and before long the singer and songwriter was signed to a contract with Mercury Records.
In 2002, Nail released his first single, “Memphis,” but while the tune made it onto the Country Singles charts, Mercury opted not to release the album he recorded for them, and he was soon without a record deal. After a few years of coaching baseball, Nail took another shot at Nashville, and once again found a champion in the form of a record producer, this time Frank Liddell. Liddell helped Nail score a new deal with MCA Nashville, and in 2008, Nail’s first MCA single, “I’m About to Come Alive,” was released. It fared slightly better than “Memphis,” but it was his next release that changed the game for Nail. Released in February 2009, “Red Light” peaked at number seven on the country singles charts and earned Nail a gold record. The success of the single led to Nail cutting an album for MCA, and this time, 2009’s I’m About to Come Alive was deemed worthy of release, rising to number 19 on the country album charts. In February 2011, Nail released “Let It Rain,” which became his first tune to become a number one country single; the album The Sound of a Million Dreams followed several months later, and reached the Top Ten of the Country Albums chart. 2012 saw the release of a three-song EP, 1979, which included a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” 2013 brought Nail another massive hit single, “Whatever She’s Got,” which earned him a platinum sales award. It was the first single released from Nail’s third MCA album, 2014’s I’m a Fire, which reached number three on the country album listings.
In July 2015, Nail dropped a new single, “Nights on Fire,” which was intended to be a preview of his upcoming album. However, Nail opted to postpone the release of the LP as he added new songs to the sequence. He released a stopgap EP, Uncovered, in May 2016, which featured interpretations of songs by Elvis Presley, Phil Collins, Adele, and the Weeknd, as well as a new version of his own “Looking for a Good Time.” In July 2016, Nail finally brought out Fighter, an ambitious and personal work in which he sang of issues in his own life for the first time, including his battle with depression, his relationship with his father, and the struggles he and his wife went through to have a baby. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Boys of Summer LIVE at The Bluestone on August 1st, 2018!
*Doors will OPEN at 12:30PM
Tickets On-Sale NOW!
The 2018 BOYS OF SUMMER Tour is on throughout America July and August. See big social media influencers, world-class artists from around the world and have a great time at the Meet N Greets. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime show this summer!
- 12:30 Platinum Sound Check Serenade – for Platinum VIP Ticket Holders
- 1pm Small talk with talent
- 1:30 Platinum, Silver and Gold Meet and Greet
- 3:30 Show
Drake White and The Big Fire live at The Bluestone on August 2nd, 2018!
*Opening Artist: Stevie Monce
*Doors for the show will open at 7PM
*Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show
Tickets On-Sale Friday, May 11th at 10AM
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Born in Hokes Bluff, Alabama, country singer and songwriter Drake White’s mix of country, blues, funk, rock & roll, and reggae and his energetic, foot-stomping live shows eventually led him to Nashville and beyond. Growing up, he sang in the choir at his local church, and after getting a guitar at the age of 14 from a neighbor down the road who played bluegrass, he began writing and playing songs, continuing to do so while attending Gadsen State Community College and then Auburn University, earning a degree in building science even as he played in the local venues at night. After graduation, White took a job with a general contractor in Nashville, working by day and playing the song rounds at night, developing, with his band the Big Fire, a crackling and energetic stage presence that often found him freestyling lyrics in the middle of songs. He caught the eye of producer Jeremy Stover and was soon signed to MCA Nashville, turned his attention full-time to music, and released a debut single, “Simple Life,” on the label early in 2013. A year later, White signed with Big Machine affiliate Dot Records, resulting in a pair of 2015 singles, “It Feels Good” and “Livin’ the Dream.” In August 2016, Dot released White’s debut album, Spark. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi
William Michael Morgan at The Bluestone on Friday, August 17th, 2018
*Doors open at 7pm
*Opening Artist: Maggie Baugh
*Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show
Tickets On-Sale NOW!
The New York Times declares “…in the emergent field of gentleman country — an antidote to the bros of the last few years — William Michael Morgan stands tall.” The praise continues with his debut album VINYL, being hailed as a “sturdy, reflective debut album….a throwback to the temperate wisdom of midcareer George Strait.” The record, which opened in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart, has landed him on countless year-end best album lists, including Rolling Stone, iTunes and Saving Country Music. His breakout mega-hit “I Met A Girl” has earned top song of the year nods from Billboard and NPR. The song topped charts and has garnered over a billion audience impressions, including over 25 million on-demand streams. Morgan recently released the title track as his third single. The tune harkens back to yesteryear with a modern twist.
Aaron Lewis at The Bluestone Two Nights, BACK TO BACK!
*August 23rd, 2018 and August 24th, 2018 (SOLD OUT)
*Opening Artist: Travis Marvin
*Doors for the show will open at 7pm each night
*Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 day of show
(Ticket is only valid for admission for the date printed on the ticket)
Tickets are on-sale NOW!
PURCHASE THURSDAY, AUGUST 23rd TICKET HERE
Lewis has been performing solo acoustic shows since he was 17 and still does today. He has written and performed many songs that have never been officially released such as “Angel”, “Something Like Me”, “Bonghits for Breakfast” (originally performed with J-CAT), and “Sleeping at the Wheel”.
In July 2010, Lewis finished recording a country music EP entitled Town Line that was released March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records. It features seven tracks including three versions of the first single “Country Boy” featuring George Jones, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young, as well as the songs “Massachusetts”, “Vicious Circles”, “The Story Never Ends”, and a re-recording of “Tangled Up in You” originally from The Illusion of Progress.[5] Lewis said in a July 2011 interview that he was introduced to country music as a child by his grandfather, but his interest was recently rekindled when he toured with fellow rock turned occasional country singer Kid Rock.[6]
Lewis performing at the House of Blues in Cleveland in 2013
Lewis released his first full solo album, The Road, in November 2012. Its debut single, “Endless Summer”, has also made the country charts. Lewis wrote every song on the 10 track collection, except for “Granddaddy’s Gun” which was penned by Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Bobby Pinson, marking the first time Lewis has recorded outside material for an album.[7] In an interview with Broadway’s Electric Barnyard, Lewis said he recorded “Granddaddy’s Gun” as both a compliment to a friend, and because he was pressed for time.[8]
Lewis wrote songs for his second solo album whilst touring in support of The Road, often performing the unreleased material in his live sets.[9][10] The album, dubbed Sinner, was mostly recorded in a single 18 hour session, with many tracks done in one take. Aaron’s daughter Zoe also provides guest vocals on one song.[11] It was released on September 16, 2016, with the lead single, “That Ain’t Country”, released on 17 June. Country artist Willie Nelson is featured on the album’s title track as well.
Aaron Lewis will be performing at The Bluestone Two Nights, BACK TO BACK!
*August 23rd, 2018 and August 24th, 2018 (SOLD OUT)
*Opening Artist: Travis Marvin
*Doors for the show will open at 7pm each night
*Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 day of show
(Ticket is only valid for admission for the date printed on the ticket)
Tickets are on-sale Friday, May 4th at 10am
PURCHASE THURSDAY, AUGUST 23rd TICKET HERE
PURCHASE FRIDAY, AUGUST 24th TICKET HERE
SOLD OUT
Lewis has been performing solo acoustic shows since he was 17 and still does today. He has written and performed many songs that have never been officially released such as “Angel”, “Something Like Me”, “Bonghits for Breakfast” (originally performed with J-CAT), and “Sleeping at the Wheel”.
In July 2010, Lewis finished recording a country music EP entitled Town Line that was released March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records. It features seven tracks including three versions of the first single “Country Boy” featuring George Jones, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young, as well as the songs “Massachusetts”, “Vicious Circles”, “The Story Never Ends”, and a re-recording of “Tangled Up in You” originally from The Illusion of Progress.[5] Lewis said in a July 2011 interview that he was introduced to country music as a child by his grandfather, but his interest was recently rekindled when he toured with fellow rock turned occasional country singer Kid Rock.[6]
Lewis performing at the House of Blues in Cleveland in 2013
Lewis released his first full solo album, The Road, in November 2012. Its debut single, “Endless Summer”, has also made the country charts. Lewis wrote every song on the 10 track collection, except for “Granddaddy’s Gun” which was penned by Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Bobby Pinson, marking the first time Lewis has recorded outside material for an album.[7] In an interview with Broadway’s Electric Barnyard, Lewis said he recorded “Granddaddy’s Gun” as both a compliment to a friend, and because he was pressed for time.[8]
Lewis wrote songs for his second solo album whilst touring in support of The Road, often performing the unreleased material in his live sets.[9][10] The album, dubbed Sinner, was mostly recorded in a single 18 hour session, with many tracks done in one take. Aaron’s daughter Zoe also provides guest vocals on one song.[11] It was released on September 16, 2016, with the lead single, “That Ain’t Country”, released on 17 June. Country artist Willie Nelson is featured on the album’s title track as well.
Corey Smith LIVE at The Bluestone on October 4th, 2018!
*Opening Artist: TBA
*Doors for the show will open at 7PM
*Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show
Tickets On-Sale August, 3rd 2018 at 10AM!
Corey Smith, the fan-made man, has sold over 1 million concert tickets, 1.5 million digital singles and over 220,000 albums. Corey Smith has amassed an unfailingly devout fan base, not only in his native Southeast region, but all around the nation, simply by telling it the way it is. He has released 10 albums—including 2011’s Top 20 release The Broken Record. Corey Smith has written every word on every album himself and he produced 9 out of 10 of the records. In Summer 2015, Corey Smith teamed up with producer Keith Stegall (Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band) for his album, “While the Gettin’ Is Good,” which was released on Sugar Hill Records. Smith’s concerts, which were documented on his last live record, Live in Chattanooga, regularly sell out, with audiences singing along to such fan favorites as the coming-of-age anthem “Twenty-One,” the nostalgic time warp “If I Could Do It Again” and the group hug “I Love Everyone.” Corey consistently tours, hitting around 120 dates per year and has begun releasing singles from his upcoming project, the Great Wide Underground.
Armin Van Buuren at The Bluestone on Wednesday, October 10th, 2018!
*Doors open at 8PM
*Opening Artist: TBA
Tickets ON SALE: Wednesday, August 8 @ 11AM
Armin van Buuren is widely regarded as one of the world’s biggest DJs and producers within Electronic Dance Music for a whopping twenty years. His life-long dedication to Electronic Music has earned him a Grammy® nomination for ‘This Is What It Feels Like’ (feat. Trevor Guthrie) and he has been voted “#1 DJ” in the world for an unprecedented five times in the annual DJ Mag Top 100, not to mention the fifteen consecutive top 5 spots to date.
His weekly two-hour radio show, “A State of Trance” (ASOT), is broadcast weekly in more than 84 countries, drawing more than 37 million listeners every week. The ASOT brand has grown into a complete live show experience and touring concept, with stages and events all over the world. The next event series of A State Of Trance, A State Of Trance 800, is to kick off in Utrecht, the Netherlands on February 18th, 2017.
In the same month (February, 2017), Armin van Buuren is to open a brand-new radio studio in the HQ of Armada Music in Amsterdam, from which the A State Of Trance episodes are to be broadcast live.
Throughout the years, Armin has launched several ‘Armin Only’ world tours, including the ones based on (one of) his albums (‘Imagine’ in 2008, ‘Mirage’ in 2010, and ‘Intense’ in 2013). His latest world tour, ‘Armin Only Embrace’, is directly tied to the ‘Embrace’ album, his sixth and latest full-fledged artist album.
In addition, Armin is the co-founder of the Armada Music record label (together with Maykel Piron and David Lewis), which has been acclaimed internationally for releasing top-notch Electronic Music in a variety of genres.
As a performer, Armin headlines more than 150 shows a year at leading festivals and venues around the world, including Electric Daisy Carnival (Las Vegas, New York), Ultra Music Festival (Miami), Tomorrowland (Belgium); Omnia Nightclub (Las Vegas), Ushuaia (Ibiza), and numerous others.
Lastly, Armin has six full-length artist albums to his name: ‘76’ (2003), ‘Shivers’ (2005), ‘Imagine’ (2008), ‘Mirage’ (2010), ‘Intense’ (2013), and ‘Embrace’ (2015).
Jazz Arts One Night Only at The Bluestone November, 2nd 2018!
*Doors for the event will open at 5:30PM
Tickets On-Sale NOW!
One Night Only is Jazz Arts Group’s annual fundraiser. This year we will return to the Bluestone for “Blues at the Bluestone” featuring local favorite Sean Carney and Chicago Bluesman Omar Coleman.
The Jazz Arts Group of Columbus (JAG) is America’s premier not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to producing, performing and promoting jazz. Our mission is to advance and celebrate the art of jazz through performance and education. The Jazz Arts Group (JAG) divides its resources among two areas: performance and education.
JAG Performances include the Swingin’ With The CJO series at the Southern Theatre, JazZoo! At the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, a contemporary music series at the Lincoln Theater and other venues, and the PBJ & Jazz family jazz series at the Lincoln Ballroom and Topiary Park.
The Jazz Arts Group believes in the power of music to transform lives and is committed to offering lifelong-learning opportunities for individuals of all ages, interests, backgrounds and abilities. JAG achieves this with our JAG Education & Community programs and through our Jazz Academy activities.
Our Affiliate Musicians program continues to work with area musicians on professional development and performing opportunities for Columbus jazz musicians.
Ashley McBryde live at The Bluestone on November 8th, 2018 as part of her “Girl Going Nowhere Tour” performing live at The Bluestone on November 8th, 2018!
*Opening Artist: Dee White
*Doors will OPEN at 7PM
*Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show
Tickets On-Sale Friday, May 25th 10AM!
Ashley McBryde Biography…
“I hear the crowd, I look around, and I can’t find one empty chair. Not bad for a girl going nowhere” sings Ashley McBryde on “Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” the seminal title track from her forthcoming LP. They’re words built from experience: over the course of her life, McBryde’s been finding her own way to fill those seats and sway those hearts since the very first time her teacher told her that her dreams of writing songs in Nashville would never see the light of day. Every time she was brought down, she persevered; trusting her timeless tone and keen, unwavering eye for the truth. It paid off. In April, Eric Church brought her on stage and called her a “whiskey-drinking badass,” confessing that he’s a massive fan. The rest of the world is quickly catching on, too.
Dubbed as one of Rolling Stone’s “Artists You Need To Know,” citing she’s “an Arkansas red-clay badass, with the swagger of Hank Jr. and the songwriting of Miranda Lambert,” McBryde fearlessly lays it all on the line, and it’s that honest all-in approach that has led to NPR critic Ann Powers to ask if McBryde could be “among the first post-Stapleton country stars?” McBryde’s album will showcase an artistic vision that will prove her to be one of the genre’s keenest working storytellers, bringing unwavering honesty back into a pop-preoccupied genre. Pulling tales from every corner of her human experience, McBryde sings with fire and fury, laughing and swigging that brown stuff along the way.
McBryde was raised in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. At three, she’d secretly pluck her father’s guitar like an upright bass, and after about the 17th time being caught, her father bought her a guitar of her own. When she was twelve, she played her parents and grandparents her very first composition. It was at Arkansas State when, while a member of the marching band, McBryde finally started sharing her voice with others, and finally moved to Nashville in 2007 where steadily worked a circuit of dive bars, biker hangouts, and colorful joints fighting to have her songs heard.
Her first EP, the self-released 2016 Jalopies and Expensive Guitars was just a taste of what McBryde can do, and, on her full-length debut, she will meld her songwriting chops with the vision of producer Jay Joyce, peppering her tales with a touch of guitar-driven rock fury. McBryde isn’t afraid to tell the truth, get raw and real and use the spirits of country, folk and rock when it serves her greater purpose. And that’s to tell the stories that shake us, make us and tell us a little more about what it’s like to be human.
Midland LIVE at The Bluestone on Saturday, November 17, 2018!
*Opening Artist: Desure
*Doors for the show will open at 7PM
*Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show
Ticket On-Sale July 13th, 2018 at 10AM!
With all the chest-thumping going on in Nashville today, where bluster and swagger have replaced heart and soul, you half expect some of country music’s male stars to be sporting bruises. Which is what makes Midland, a trio of friends based in Dripping Springs, Texas, so undeniably refreshing. Made up of singer Mark Wystrach, lead guitarist Jess Carson and bass player Cameron Duddy, Midland is the embodiment of Seventies California country, all smooth Eagles harmonies and heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics. Their songs are intoxicating, sung with the twang of George Strait.
And it’s impossible to resist.
Now, after endearing themselves to fans with the hit radio single “Drinkin’ Problem” and a self-titled EP, Midland unveil their full-length debut, On the Rocks (Big Machine Records).
A collection of 13 tracks all written or co-written by Midland – the guys took their name from a Dwight Yoakam song – On the Rocks excels at setting a mood, transporting the listener to another place and time. It’s an album made for wide-open skies, endless deserts and wondering where the road is going to take you next.
“Drinkin’ Problem,” written with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, who produced the album with Dann Huff, reclaims the drinking song for classic country music, making it less about an endless party and more about self-medicating. “They call it a problem, I call it a solution / just sitting here with all my grand illusions,” sings Wystrach, evoking the best booze ballads of both Gary Stewart and Merle Haggard, two of the trio’s chief influences.
“Make a Little,” a rollicking ditty, is more optimistic, soaring with the brotherly harmonies of Wystrach, Duddy and Carson and a timely message: “There’s just not enough love in the world.” The rapid-fire lyrics embody the clever wordplay that is unique to country music – “we should make a little, generate a little / maybe even make the world a better place a little” – and also nod to Alabama, another country band that helped spark a revolution in the genre.
Midland hearken back to a time when an artist’s personal style – colorful suits, tailored denim and well-worn hats – dovetailed with the music. And they tip their hats to other groundbreaking artists throughout On the Rocks.
The kick-back and get-high ode “Altitude Adjustment” name-checks John Denver, the majestic “Nothin’ New Under the Neon” sounds like vintage Eddie Rabbit, and the glorious “At Least You Cried” channels Dwight Yoakam. By album’s end, the band 2 returns to the Eagles, recalling their famous intro to “Seven Bridges Road,” with the closing “Somewhere on the Wind.”
“On the Rocks is a confluence of our musical tastes and our reverence for classic country,” says Duddy, whose wife, photographer Harper Smith, shoots all of the group’s stylish photos.
“This record is truly a nod to the time period we are influenced by,” says Carson, a Pacific Northwest native, “and is an effort to bring that sound and that pageantry back to the forefront.”
“We write with a very visual storytelling approach. We paint that big picture and go to that place,” says Wystrach. “Where is this story going? Let’s paint it.”
“Electric Rodeo,” with its plaintive piano, sweeping strings and high-in-the-saddle chorus, is a prime example of the “picture” the band talks about creating. And “Check Cashin’ Country,” a solo composition by Carson, stands as the band’s true-life road diary: the tale of a country-rock band trying to find time to sleep as they hustle from gig to gig, barely making enough money to put gas in the tank. It’s the country equivalent of Seger’s “On the Road.”
Midland first came together at Duddy’s wedding in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the three members ended up jamming onstage at the rehearsal dinner.
“It was this serendipitous chain of events, and it was the best week ever,” says Wystrach, who, despite his hippie persona, was actually raised on an Arizona cattle ranch. “By the end, we knew the three of us had amazing chemistry.”
“Midland isn’t manufactured,” says Duddy, born in California. “We are three real friends who stumbled upon making music together.”
Whether they intended it or not, Midland are filling a void in country, with songs that run the gamut from lush Urban Cowboy anthems to loose campfire sing-alongs. Putting their own spin on a classic sound, they’re making something old relevant again.
“We are a band,” says Carson, declaratively. “That’s a big part of the spirit of what we do, that group experience and camaraderie.”
Says Wystrach, “We’ve poured our hearts and souls into writing and making these songs and are extremely proud of what we’ve been able to create.”
With On the Rocks, Midland have captured a sound decades in the making that is just right for today.
Louis The Child LIVE at The Bluestone on November 19, 2018!
*Opening Artist: NoMBe and R.LUM.R
*Doors for the show will open at 8PM
Tickets ON-SALE: Friday, August 10th @ 10:00 AM!
Ages: 18+
Sgt. Peppercorn’s Beatles Marathon is an event like no other. Experience Sgt. Peppercorn’s Lonely Hearts Club Band perform every Beatles song in chronological order.
215 songs, 1 day, 12+ hours.
For the Ninth consecutive year, Columbus musicians will play all 215 officially released Beatles songs, in a single performance. Beginning with the album, Please Please Me at 12:30 PM, and ending with Abbey Road some time after midnight, The Beatles Marathon is currently, the only single performance of every Beatles song.
Tickets On-Sale Thursday, October 25th at 12pm
PURCHASE TICKETS
The Beatles Marathon is arguably the most ambitious musical feat attempted in Columbus each year, and it has also become a beloved community event. For Peppercorn, who’s now known more for the Beatles show than for his band the Whiles, the event isn’t some excuse to play a bunch of covers and make some money. It’s an essential, sacred part of his life.
“You could find better musicians – especially with me,” Peppercorn said. “There are always at least 100 people in the Bluestone who could sing the song I am singing better than me. [But] we are the island of misfit toys, and this show is our home.” -Columbus Alive
Winter Week Out Festival
THE WERKS (TWO NIGHTS)
February 1st and February 2nd
Doors open at 6:30pm each night
PURCHASE HERE
WINTER WERK OUT MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL 2019
The Winter Werk Out returns to the beautiful Bluestone in Columbus February 1st & 2nd. feat. THE WERKS (TWO NIGHTS)EMANCIPATOREOTO (ft. Michael Travis & Jason Hann of String Cheese Incident)TROPIDELICZACH DEPUTYCONSIDER THE SOURCELITZ (Daft Punk tribute)MOM & DAD (ft. members of Dopapod)ANY COLOUR (Pink Floyd tribute)BULLS ON PARADE (Rage Against the Machine tribute)PRONTOHGHOST GARDENS X2SHATTERmany more TBA www.thewerksmusic.com
CANDLEBOX live at The Bluestone on July 11th, 2019
Doors for the show will open at 7pm
This show is Ages 18+
Tickets will go on-sale Friday, March 8th at 10am
PURCHASE HERE
Candlebox is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since its formation in 1990, the group has released six studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD.
Candlebox was the first successful act on Maverick Records, which went on to sign Alanis Morissette, Deftones and The Prodigy. They found immediate success with the release of their self-titled debut album in July 1993. It featured the band’s biggest hit songs, “Far Behind” and “You“, and was certified platinum by the RIAA four times.[5] Their next two albums, Lucy and Happy Pills, also sold well. After troubles with Maverick, Candlebox broke up in 2000 after an alleged attempt to be freed from their contract. The band reunited in 2006, and two years later, they released their fourth album Into the Sun, followed by an extensive tour. Their latest album, Disappearing in Airports was released April 22, 2016.
The band has toured or played selected shows with such bands as Living Colour, The Flaming Lips, Our Lady Peace, Rush, Henry Rollins, Aerosmith, Godsmack, Metallica, Radiohead, The Offspring, Sponge, Seaweed, Hinder, Suicidal Tendencies and Danzig.[6][7] They were also a featured band on the main-stage at Woodstock ’94 and made repeat live performances on Late Show with David Letterman.
LOCASH LIVE at The Bluestone on December 12th, 2019
Doors for the show will open at 7pm
Opening Artist: Drew Baldridge
Tickets are just $25 in advance and $30 day of show
Tickets on-sale Friday, August 23rd at 10am
PURCHASE HERE
Creating a sound that fuses modern Country and classic heartland rock with an edgy vocal blend, Wheelhouse Records’ LOCASH is the Country music duo made up of singer-songwriters Chris Lucas and Preston Brust; natives of Baltimore, Maryland, and Kokomo, Indiana, respectively. With two albums and eight charting singles to their credit, LOCASH broke out in 2015 with their gracious GOLD-certified hit, “I Love This Life,” followed by the flirtatious GOLD-certified #1 smash, “I Know Somebody” –their first trip to the top of the Country radio airplay charts –and 2017’s fun-loving romantic anthem “Ring on Every Finger.” All three singles were part of their album, THE FIGHTERS, which was released in the summer of 2016 to Top 15 success. In 2017, they earned their first round of awards show recognition, nominated at the ACM Awards for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year, the CMT Music Awards for Duo Video of the Year (“I Know Somebody”), and the CMA Awards for Vocal Duo of the Year. The 2019 ACM Duo of the Year nominee released their latest album (and first with their new label BBR Music Group/BMG), Brotherson March 29, 2019 with their lead single, “Feels Like A Party” reaching Top 25. Their current single, “One Big Country Song,” is currently climbing the charts.
Jimmie Allen
Down Home Tour
presented by 92.3 WCOL
w/ special guest Neon Union
March 11, 2022 at 7 PM
at The Bluestone
Columbus, Ohio
JIMMIE ALLEN
Official Website: https://www.jimmieallenmusic.com/ [jimmieallenmusic.com]
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jimmieallenmusic
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimmieallen/ @JimmieAllen
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmieallen/ @jimmieallen
Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/jimmieallen
NEON UNION
Official Website: https://www.neonunionmusic.com/ [neonunionmusic.com]
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Neon-Union-Music-108322624961837
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/neonunionmusic @neonunionmusic
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neonunionmusic/@neonunionmusic
Artist Biography
For multi-platinum selling, trailblazing Country star and current GRAMMY Award nominee Jimmie Allen, a simple phrase sums up his view on life and music: Never give up.
A native of Southern Delaware – the “slower, lower” part of the state, he explains – Allen has carried that mantra with him through good times and bad, whether than meant living in his car or receiving his first ACM nomination for New Male Artist of the Year in 2019, a CMA Awards nomination for New Artist of the Year in 2020, subsequently winning the ACM Award for New Male Artist of the Year – the first Black artist to win that category since its inception, and a win with which he hopes “open[s] some doors for more Black artists to have success in country and more Black artists to feel comfortable enough to do country if that’s what they want to do” – as well as the CMA New Artist of the Year Award in 2021. GRAMMY.com has hailed Allen as one of “5 Black Artists Rewriting Country Music.” His current nomination for Best New Artist at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2022 is his first ever GRAMMY nomination; he is also the only Country nominee in an all-genre category.
With the 2018 release of his debut album Mercury Lane – named in tribute to the street he grew up on and the origin of his incredible journey – on BBR Music Group’s Stoney Creek Records, a lifetime of never giving up brought him full circle.
“I didn’t quit, I never will,” he says. “Stuff ain’t easy, and you shouldn’t quit either. There’s a big difference between busting your ass and sitting on it.”
For Allen, musical dreams and a love of true-to-themselves artists like Alan Jackson, Aaron Tippin, Montgomery Gentry, and Jason Aldean brought him all the way to Nashville and beyond, –from traveling around the world to places like Japan, Germany and the UK; to performing a tribute at the Kennedy Center Honors for Garth Brooks, the national anthem at the Indy 500, returning to American Idol as a mentor after being cut from the same competition a decade ago, and other once-in-a-lifetime moments.
But it was actually a nightmare which turned this promising singer into the artist he is today. After a series of bad breaks Allen was forced to live in his car, too proud to ask for a bail out. For months he worked multiple jobs and finally saved enough for an apartment, but hit then another snag – country music wasn’t ready for him.
“People were just trying to help,” he says now. “But they wanted me to change my sound and told me I had to lose my boots. The turning point came when I stopped listening, and finally let my music be a natural reflection of who I am.”
Since then Allen has been following his own compass, and it’s leading somewhere special. In 2017, he caught his big break and signed a record deal with BBR Music Group/Stoney Creek Records and a team who embraced his individuality.
“I don’t regret the hard times,” he explains about his trials. “I think each thing you do adds a layer, whether it’s a layer of toughness, perseverance, motivation, or just a layer of wisdom. At the end of the day you come back to what you know, and what’s embedded in you.”
What’s embedded in Allen is a powerful, soulful sense of groove – “If my body don’t move in the first four seconds, it ain’t for me,” he says – a love of deep messages and a knack for razor-sharp hooks.
Those driving forces formed the bedrock of Mercury Lane – a cutting-edge mix of country, rock, R&B, and pop, produced by Ash Bowers and Eric Torres, that received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone raving that it “challenges the narrowly defined model of what constitutes a next big thing in country music” and The New York Times hailing it one of 2018’s strongest, calling it a “conventional country album, filled with songs about the small details.”
With Mercury Lane, Allen made history as the first Black artist to launch a career with two consecutive No. 1 hits on country radio, with “Best Shot” claiming the No. 1 spot for three weeks and his second single “Make Me Want To” hitting the top spot in March 2020.Allen’s hard-earned dreams are finally becoming reality, but he shows no signs of limiting himself.
He followed up the success of Mercury Lane with his July 2020 collaboration project, Bettie James, that has amassed171+ million streams and has further established Allen as Country’s next superstar. The star-studded seven-track project combined his deep love of family and genre-spanning taste in music. Named in honor of Allen’s late grandmother, Bettie Snead, who passed away in 2014 and his late father, James Allen, who passed away in 2019, Allen hand selected artist that touched the life of Allen, his grandmother and father in some way, allowing their legacies to weave seamlessly throughout Bettie James. The wide array of hitmakers include Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Nelly, Noah Cyrus, The Oak Ridge Boys, Rita Wilson, Tauren Wells and Tim McGraw.
“My dad and grandmom were two completely different people, but both played a huge part in my life,” Allen says of the motivation for the project. “Since they died, I have been wanting to leave trails of their legacies throughout my music.”
The result is a musical composition of love, heartbreak, perseverance, hope and faith. Jimmie’s current single “Freedom Was A Highway” pairs Allen with his friend and Country music superstar Paisley for a breezy, windows down track that joins Allen’s distinctively breezy grooves with a Paisley signature guitar solo.
Bettie James received a slew of critical acclaim for not only the music, but the historic nature of various collaborations, and the project’s subsequent place in country music history. NPR calls the project an “announcement of [Allen’s] arrival” and a “huge step for country” while Billboard hails it “a powerful statement from a developing voice.” The EP appeared on several “Best of 2020” lists including Billboard, Rolling Stone and Sounds Like Nashville.
Rolling Stone describes “Why Things Happen” – which brings together three generations of Black country artists in Allen, Darius Rucker and Charley Pride – as “part polemic, part proclamation, and part prayer… opening up space for the artists to bear witness.”
Reflecting on Allen’s wide-ranging musical sensibilities, Music Row notes of the project: “While some artists still in the early sunrise of their careers, with a handful of hits to their credit, would be focused solely on extending their chart successes, it’s clear that Allen’s goals for his music are loftier than mere chart hits and No. 1 parties—he’s striving for music that testifies to his full spectrum of creative abilities.”
Allen, who has an incredible knack for connecting with people of all backgrounds and interests, enjoyed collaborating with other artists so much while making his monumentally successful predecessor that he didn’t want to stop – so instead, in trademark Allen fashion, he kept going. The result: Bettie James Gold Edition. Released June 25, 2021, the 16-track album doubles down on Allen’s expansive love for music across genres, with nine brand new collaborations with Babyface, Breland, Keith Urban, LANCO, Lathan Warlick, Lindsay Ell, Little Big Town, LOCASH, Monica, Neon Union, Pitbull, teamwork. and Vikina.
As Hits Daily Double notes, for Allen, “it’s about being grounded in the genre’s traditions and protecting the roots as much as it’s about creating a future for country music that’s more expansive and inclusive.”
“When it comes to music I love, I don’t really get wrapped up in boundaries or genres. After we finished Bettie James, I was like man, there’s so much music out there that I love, so many artists that I love, and I just wasn’t done making collaborations,” Allen says of the impetus for Bettie James Gold Edition; a sentiment that Billboard echoes, applauding that the album “broadens country’s borders.”
Beyond the music, Allen has also established Bettie James Fest in their honor. Consistently vocal about his deep reverence for his family, hometown, and home state, the inaugural sold out event took place August 7, 2021 in Allen’s hometown of Milton, DE.
Allen is currently featured in The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s annual American Currents: State of the Music exhibit with his friend and fellow country artist Darius Rucker. The exhibit’s Unbroken Circle illustrates the connection between country music’s past and present by pairing artists with those who have influenced them or share musical perspectives. The exhibit runs through February 2022.
Additionally, he is a member of the 2021 Artists Committee for the 44th Kennedy Center Honors.
Much like his approach to music, Allen’s other creative pursuits know no boundaries.
Allen’s debut picture book, My Voice Is a Trumpet, was published July 13, 2021 with Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. Illustrated by veteran illustrator Cathy Ann Johnson, the book is a powerful story about speaking up for what you believe in,
at any age. The book has received a starred review from School Library Journal, who hails that “the rhythm and flow of words perfectly match the art while advising readers to choose love and use their voices in a powerful song.”
“It’s very important to me that kids learn at a young age that they have a voice, and that it is powerful. It is up to us as adults to teach them to use their voice to encourage and show love,” Allen says of his first ever book. “Being a father of two kids, I try to encourage them to be themselves and love everyone around them. I’m hoping this book inspires at least one child and they always remember their voice is a trumpet.”
Allen also serves as Executive Music Producer for Netflix’s series Titletown High, which premiered globally on August 27. His song “Big In A Small Town” is the theme song for the series, which follows a Georgia town where football rules and winning is paramount, a champion high school team tackles rivalries, romance and real life as they work toward the ultimate goal: a state title. Full of high stakes sports action and relatable teenage drama, Titletown High delivers a complex portrait of the most unique football culture in America.
He most recently competed for the coveted mirrorball trophy as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars’ landmark 30thseason on ABC in the fall of 2021, reaching the quarterfinals with his pro partner Emma Slater.
As Allen’s rising star power shows no signs of slowing down, he remains unapologetically himself and proof of what can happen when you never give up.
For more information on Allen, visit www.jimmieallenmusic.com or follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Iration
May 15, 2022 6 PM
at The Bluestone
Columbus, Ohio
Bio: Iration has a natural affinity for reggae and island sounds. Their love and appreciation for music spans across a wide range of styles and genres including rock, pop, R&B and funk. Over the past 15 years, the celebrated five-piece – Micah Pueschel [Lead Vocals / Guitar], Adam Taylor [Bass], Joe Dickens [Drums], Cayson Peterson [Keyboard / Synth] and Micah Brown [Guitar / Vocals] – have perfected their distinct hybrid style of music, blending all influences together as evidenced on their seventh, and most recent, full-length album Coastin’ [Three Prong Records). A record about being thankful for the moments that we have.
Iration has been touring nationally since 2008, performing at festivals nationwide from Lollapalooza to Sunfest and Hangout, closing stages at festivals like Bottlerock and Outside Lands. The Hawaiian-bred musicians look forward to spreading their original sound and ‘Aloha spirit’ all the while never forgetting to get a surf in when possible.
