Broke City is a three-piece alternative rock band whose music creates a wall of sound by layering driving guitars, dynamic melodies, and confessional lyrics. Hailing from Salt Lake City, UT, Broke City has cultivated a rabid local following. Their intoxicating and gritty style on stage, coupled with the gutsy wail of lead singer Joel Pack, has landed them on tours throughout the United States and Canada with bands like 30 Seconds to Mars, Thrice, and The Used. Although their third album, The Answer, was almost silenced due to Warner Bros. absorption of Maverick Records, Broke City persevered, and released it independently to the praise of a following who related to the emotionally fueled record. Armed with both true life and industry experiences, the band adopted the “Earn it Yourself” values of bands like Thrice and Alkaline Trio.

Broke City is: Joel Pack-vocals/guitar; The Rob-drums; Ryan Sanders-bass;

ABOUT COSTAR

"With 'EXIT' we tried to capture the sound of classic pop tunes being played with conviction and enthusiasm, stripped down to a minimum of production to create that raw and pure sound you get in one-take recordings", says singer and guitarist Brighton.
A deep passion for music and the same eagerness to create a great sounding album brought the four Costars together. They spent last year writing and recording to put their ideas into a final product. The result has become EXIT, an album they are proud to be releasing in the near future.
Costar's debut album, 'Keep It Light' was released in 2004. The album took the band to Canada's North by North East Festival followed by gigs in New York and a tour of Norway. Keep It Light's first single 'Yeah Right' was playlisted on XFM and its quirky, low-budget, puppet-doll video was on rotation on Norways music channel ZTV. Second single 'Falling at my Feet' saw Costar achieve international recognition. 103.1 Indie FM in Los Angeles and Australia's Triple M playlisted the song as did XFM in the UK. Radio One who also played the single had the following to say:
"Costar have mastered the art of catchy pop with breathtaking ease a masterstroke of a tune replete with gorgeous dreamy melodies and irresistible hooks that manages to weave its magic in under three minutes"



Whatś been said about Costar



"Americana driven pop rock never sounded as sweet as this - taking the nervy energy of the killers, the soul searching melodies of Matthew Sweet and giving it a Wilco make-over, gorgeous, wonderful, buy this now!"
 

(Subba-cultcha.com)


"Raggedy, and with a Britpop-era-crashing-into-Strokes-debut-era guitar crispness. Certainly the swirl of the cymbals, and the wail of the guitar work on a psychedelic level as well as a Weddoes-like jangle angle. "Ashamed" is of a gentler persuasion, while "Lee" charges at the floor like a furr-ball from a feline throat."


(Vanity Project)


"The digital single from COSTAR - "Too Much Talk" (Popfiction) provides a weird combination of searching newWave pop and a strange compelling sensation that there's a little bit of The Strokes and (early) U2 in there somewhere - It's not obvious, but it's maybe just because the melodies seem to stack up so well. In essence it's an authentic, searching, rough edged jangling indie joy with an ace ending which over the course of the three tracks falls into a wonderful post c86 rumble of harmonious distortions. Could be big! MMMM"


(Manchester Music)..



"For those of you who miss the heady days of jangly indie pop crafted by such heroes as David Gedge, new single ‘This Awakening’ by Costar could be the very fix you need. The production lends the song a sound that could so easily be from 1994, even more so when the guitar solo kicks in, and yet that is in no way a bad thing. In fact the song doesn’t sound particularly dated, it’s just that there aren’t many people putting out such compelling tunes as this right now, which makes this one all the more welcome to my ears."


(Kid Vinyl)


A biography is defined as being a written account of the series of events that make up a person's life.
Atlas Cage was born during the setting sun of a Friday night, one month after the Chernobyl incident, in an East German town that was still being covered by the ash that drifted in from the skies like dirty snowflakes. It seems only fitting that years later he would adopt a form of the radiation symbol as the marker for the heavy, psychedelic, blues band known as “Strings of Atlas”.
Filmmaker and writer Atlas Cage makes the guitars wail, bass lines thump like Icky and drum lines drive the listener into a tripped out world of bending reality and atomic science fiction. Part beat poet, part rock-n-rolla and a full time wandering soul, Strings of Atlas has been on the underground scene since late 2006. With several self released albums (including the most recent success “So far from home”), an independent film score, three short films, a yearly invitation to G4TV’s Ninja Warrior and an amazing head of hair, he has managed to climb indie charts from Florida to Texas, garner some FM radio play, find inclusion in numerous podcasts and blogs and tour the west coast in his 1974 Chevy Nova. The first big break for SOA was with the album “Atomic Girls” which made its way on to iTunes, Rhapsody and several other major platforms.
All of 2010 was spent on the road contemplating life, learning as much as the world was willing to teach and writing/re-writing song after song. Cage lived in Santa Fe/Albuquerque for several months, drumming for the band Eyes of 9ine, job hunting at Q studios and learning how to make homemade Kombucha before making his way so far north that the sales taxes actually stopped ( Oregon state). Cage spent several months DJ’ing in strip clubs, playing private parties and crashing on the couches of people from all walks of life (Airline owners, ex cons, zine writers, continuing/recovering meth addicts and of course the dancers he worked with). Other major cities on this voyage included Phoenix (and all the surrounding subsidiaries), Tombstone, Anaheim, Vancouver and Chicago. All of this leading up to the most well know SOA album to date “So Far from home”.
After falling from atop a Cadillac that was planted in the ground just outside of Amarillo, Tx, Cage made his way back to his hometown of El Paso and began the recording and fundraising process or as its better known, getting a day job(or two).
Strings of Atlas has opened for names like Nick Megalis, Guitar slim and worked with artists such as Hip-hop mad man Sike O. Phenix, Punk rockers Sweetest Downfall and Latin pop singer Rebecca Pearl. The vibe of the music is a punk rock spirit with a Motown soul, being drowned in some heavy rockin’ blues. Catch Stings of Atlas on Facebook and watch music videos to tracks like “Atomic Girl”, “Find A Way”, “Don’t want the world” and more on various video sites.

Chicago-based musical comedy pop-diva, Victoria Elena Nones, uses her powerhouse vocals to wail over original rap beats, keytar, piano, guitar, and pop tracks. Take a journey through her quirky mind as she covers everything from the perils of online dating to the plight of women's equality. Victoria fuses her personality, love of pop music, improv skills, and musical theater background for a unique solo comedy experience. 
 
Victoria is a graduate of the Second City Music Improv Conservatory Chicago, iO training center Chicago, and holds a BFA in stage management with a minor in Gender Studies. She is obsessed with performing musical improv/music improv and musical comedy which stems from a long standing career as an Equity actress in musical theater.  In Chicago, Victoria has performed with Infinite Sundaes - the TC Musical House Ensemble at Second City, Music Comedy Live, iO (Formerly Improv Olympic), The Chicago Women's Funny Festival, The Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, The Scruggs Works By Women Festival at Second City, and Sketchcast Writing Ensembles at Second City TC.

While a few major acts are still managing to sell huge quantities of albums, the majority of independent acts are not. For whatever reason, whether it is the lack of quality albums these days or other economics issues; a great percentage of the buying public is going back to only buying single songs. The music business is shifting back to being a singles driven marketplace. For this reason, Gino Black will be releasing one new song per month leading up to the New Year’s Eve release of his debut EP “The Assassination of Gino Black”. 


On July 23rd, as a setup for the forthcoming EP, Powerblast Worldwide released the 1st single, “Liquor Flow”. Based on critical praise and positive fan response of his signature ‘Hip-Rock’ style, the aggressive hip-hop/nu-metal banger continues to perform well and has received a number of licensing offers. The official 2nd single; “Almost Famous”, which features the rapid-fire lyrical flow of friend and label-mate, [artist/producer] Takashi Akai, is expected to perform even better; while building on Gino Black’s winning formula and strategically establishing his brand.


“Almost Famous” [written and produced by Gino Black] is a slow riding scorcher! It is an ode to American pop culture’s obsession with celebrity, fame and fortune. The tempo is slow; yet the velocity and pulse of the drums are invigoratingly alive. The track is laced with melodic piano elements; which assists in making this a beautiful multi-layered composition. What will surely become memorable and highly infectious, is the chorus; which features the unrelenting wail of a psychedelic guitar solo raging forth. “Almost Famous” doesn’t let up! This perfect storm of production will ensure this song an anthem of the common man’s duality. Lyrically it takes the juxtaposition of someone who is enticed by glamour and elated with decadence, yet disgusted by the pitfalls of man’s race for the ever-elusive power and glory that comes along with being rich and famous. Fans of aggressive rock and hard rap will equally enjoy this song.

*Think: Black Sabbath meets Bone Thugs N Harmony or Korn meets Ice Cube. 

 
Gino Black is an independent producer/artist/songwriter whose best known for his recent work with the alternative/electronic/rock act, She Loves No One, but he is an O.G. in the independent music industry. Lately, not only has he been producing and co-writing songs for the highly anticipated full-length debut album with She Loves No One, but he has also been secretly working his solo project. He’s decided to step from behind the scenes to unleash his latest creations; and in doing so, he accomplishes what very few artists can do, which is to write, compose, produce, record, mix and master his all of his own material. As an accomplished producer, sound designer and studio engineer, his debut solo EP, “The Assassination of Gino Black” is entirely an in-house/self-contained endeavor. No other producers were hired to assist with musical duties. Gino Black programmed and/or played all instruments on the recording and recorded and mixed all elements himself, without the aide of additional engineers.

 
Gino Black has spent the last few years [based in Miami, FL] developing a signature sound of blending aggressive hip-hop beats with thrashing electric guitars, which is sure to blow the mainframe out of what contemporary hip-hop and/or rock are expected to sound like. He describes his signature style of music ‘Hip-Rock’.

The video for “Almost Famous” can be viewed at: 
http://www.youtube.com/GinoBlackMusic
 
“Almost Famous” can be downloaded for FREE at: http://GinoBlack.bandcamp.com/



"Almost Famous " will be released worldwide on iTunes on October 15th. 

 
For booking, licensing and/or additional information, email:
music@powerblastworldwide.net


One of the most energetic, and talented surf musicians on the scene has finally, for the first time released a few 45´s under his own name. Mike Barbwire, bandleader of infamous Swedish act The Barbwires has been writing songs and recording for several years and reflects what he´s been doing since the last release with The Barbwires. The music Mike will be performing is a mix of beautiful, trembling reverb drenched tunes straight out of the ocean, mixed with some raw, mean, vicious guitar slinging
early 60’s rock’n’roll style. Think early Link Wray for a reference combined with the magic sounds of John Barry

The last album released with The Barbwires has by many experts been considered “one of the 10 best surf albums ever recorded”, and the recordings Mike is working on will definitely not let any one down. Two brand new Mike Barbwire 45´s has been recorded and will be out on Spanish label Sleazy Records The Camel Rock 45 was recorded together with a Del-Tones style lineup with a saxophone section, piano, rhythm guitar, drums and upright bass. Its mixed with some raw, mean, pumpin late 50 . s rock'n'roll and The oriental backbeat that dominates Camel Rock sure will dominate any dancefloor, and accelerate, wail and flip the lid until the morning comes.   Mike says: With this recordings I tried to dig into the sounds of the instrumental era before the surf boom with artists like: The Imps, Arthur Smith, Boots Brown, The Virtues, Preston Epps, Roland James, The Cyclones, Hot Toddy´s, The Frantics, The Royaltones, The Strangers, The Tune Rockers,  Plas Johnson,  The Fugitives, The Rockin R´s, The Elrondos, The Hunters, The Ramrods

The most recent release S.O.S Rockn´Roll (El Sotano Calling) 45 is a collaboration with Spanish radio program El Sotano, on National Radio 3. S.O.S Rockn´Roll (El Sotano Calling) is the new opening tune and can be heard 4 nights a week mon-thurs at 5 p.m. Its the most ambitious song recorded with Mike Barbwire so far, and he went back using the Blue Ocean Orchestra on this one. A collaboration that started on Searider on 2008.

Jammy rock with organic grooves, shimmering lead guitar, good vibes, heartfelt vocals and songs that reach deep.  

 "Its all about the music and making a connection", says Patti, "bringing people together, letting loose, and being in the here and now".  The band's live shows create a space where the music opens up into something huge... the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The music cuts through the everday and connects right to the core.   "I like to combine improvisation with good solid song writing" says Patti. "I love to get people up and dancing. Music can open minds and inspire, it can bring people together, even expand consciousness and make a difference in the world. It's also a whole lot of fun." 
The Patti Spadaro Band album “Bringing Me Back", features drummers Jim Donovan from Rusted Root & Eric Kurtzrock, and keyboardist Skip Sanders from The Clarks.

Formed in New York City in March of 2004, F-Units have created their own personal brand of punk-influenced hard rock while drawing influences from some of the greatest cross-generational rock bands of our time. "F-Units" get their name from diesel engine locomotives built by General Motors’ Electro-Motive Division in the 1940s and 50s — a metaphor for the band’s sound: hard, fast, loud... fueled by power-pop hooks and raunch-rock riffs slammed together with the heavy driving force of a runaway freight train.

The band features New Orleans native Scott Bellina (vocals/rhythm guitar), Tom Meehan (bass), Max Holland (lead guitar), and Frank Coleman on drums.

F-Units released their debut album "Reject on Impact" on September 29, 2006. This DIY debut features ten blistering pop-influenced punk tracks recorded in Brooklyn and mixed in Los Angeles by Scott Gilman.

F-Units released their much anticipated 2nd studio album, "Alone in Babylon" in the Summer of 2010. Recorded in NYC's famed The Cutting Room Studios, "Alone in Babylon" features 12 punk-influenced hard rock stadium anthems also mixed by Los Angeles producer Scott Gilman (who's credits include the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Damone, and Frank Black).

From the ferocious southern-stomp of the title track to a heart-wrenching pulse of sincerity, F-Units’ sophomore effort contains a sonic masterpiece of punk-influenced arena anthems that reaches deep into the bands’ abundance of influences — all the while brandishing a swagger that is unique unto themselves.

Regarding the release F-Units frontman Scott Bellina states, “Creating an album of this magnitude by our own accord is more than an accomplishment, it’s a statement. As the title suggests, we’ve been doing the DIY-thing in New York for so long that we’ve become masters at it. This record embodies the raw emotions of a tremendously talented group of individuals that more than deserve their moment in the sun. It’s been long in coming, but our journey through "Babylon" might just be what gets us there.”

"Get there" indeed — the title track from "Alone in Babylon" made it's primetime television debut on episode 215 of NBC's hit drama "Parenthood" on February 8th, 2011. That same day, the song was put into heavy rotation on ClearChannel syndicate WAIL 99.5 FM, Florida Keys.

Several songs from the same album ("Black California", "You're Just a Tease", "Come What Maybe", "Desperation Road") are currently in rotation on a major cable network and "Lipstick Traces" was used on the ABC Family primetime television series "The Fosters".

In July 2011, the band began an experimental phase and released the EP "Black Heart Blacksmith Shop" which portrays the band's versatility by bordering into the indie, acoustic, and alt-country genres while maintaining it's unique identity and rock credibility. The EP was written, recorded, mixed, produced, and mastered solely by the members of the band.

This experiment has proven worth it's while as F-Units have begun writing material for an sonically rock-driven and inspired third album most likely to be recorded in late 2013 into early 2014, with a targeted release in fall 2014. Some work-in-progess tracks have been released on the band's f-units.bandcamp.com profile which suggest a glimpse of some more greatness to come with tracks such "Electro Bomb", "Chemicals", "T.M.I.", and "Made of You".

With 11 CD’s now on the market, Kelli’s recording career began on Warner Bros. German label, Eagle Records with the release of a self-titled CD which topped charts at #4 in Belgium and #7 in Holland. It would be Mercury Rock-a-Billy artist, “Mr. Action” Roy Moss who would give her the thrown. After working several shows, Roy took notice of; not only her already award winning vocals, (Voice Scholarship) but also her unique and signature piano style taught to her by her Mother. He asked her along with guitar legend, Johnny Patterson to play on his next project for Eagle Records. In the album liner notes he would call her, “the Star of Texas”; however, he would soon change it to, “the Swingin’ Little Miss from Texas” and finally, “the Queen of Swing”. Kelli would later headline with R&B legend, Carl Perkins who would agree. Today she is known around the world as, The Queen of Swing™.

Her new release, “Swing-a-Billy” is adding to her legacy with fans coming in from all corners of the world. 4 STAR reviews with French critic, Bernard Boyat exclaiming it, “SUPERBES!” Set in the 50’s Jump, Swing & Rhythm & Blues style, this music graduate: Sings, Writes, Arranges and Plays all instruments except guitar. It is an amazing feat that very few artists would be able to accomplish and one the Queen of Swing™ says she is not likely to do again. From now own it will be her BAND OF FIVE, “The Swing Kings”. 4 Songs were placed by the Grammy® reviewing board for consideration in “Best Pop Vocal Performance” for the 2013 award ceremonies.

Her first recognition in the Blues came from Billboard when she received an “Honorable Mention” for her R&B original, 
“The Way Love Use to Be” from the cassette album, “Honky Tonk Rock” which would later be re-released as, “Honky Tonk Swing” receiving
 4 Star reviews in magazines around the world. She is a licensed BMI songwriter.

The CD, “Swing ‘n Blues” focused on the joining of her R&B / Blues accolades with her now Swing title and signature piano style. Her own blues tune, “Loose Woman Blues” captured the attention of the Grammy® Reviewing Board and was placed in contention for 
“Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals”. She included “Jump, Jive & Wail” from the great Louie Prima and covered 
“The Blues Brothers”, “All My Money Back.” She would incorporate this CD into an original musical review, “Swingin’ the Blues” with her performance fees subsidized by the National Endowment for the Arts. She began headlining in casinos across the country and performing art theatres. She would headline with some of the biggest names and appear in some of the biggest venues in the industry. Her new show "SWING" is a derivative of that show adding some of her new original material. Performing Art directors publicly declared Kelli, “an exceptional entertainer”. Because of her extensive research in writing her show, “Swingin’ the Blues” she  was a Table Top Speaker for the Texas Arts & Exchange Conference. 

The CD, “Blues to Me!” followed “Swing ‘n Blues” and would include several of her own blues tunes and would be considered by one of the largest organizations in the industry as a chronicle on the diverse styles of the blues; Swing, Jump, Country, Rhythm, Western and Kelli’s award winning style she calls, “Pure Blues.” 2 of those originals: “B-A-D, BAD” & “Strut My Stuff” would be placed on the Grammy® Voting list in consideration for “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance”.

Kelli went back to her roots for the CD, “Rock-a-Billy U.S.A.” which was done for the 10 year anniversary of her mentor and friend Mercury Rock-a-Billy artist, “Mr. Action” Roy Moss. Kelli recorded some R&B, Rock-a-Billy, 50’s Swing standards, added a LIVE cut of her husband, Johnny Patterson playing the guitar instrumental, “Honky Tonk” and took the 4 songs Roy had partially recorded editing the pieces to make a complete song. Wanting to honor her mentor and friend, the CD received 5 Star reviews. Roy had started a new album but unfortunately would never be able to finish the project. He passed away from lung cancer in September 1998. She did not realize it would also commemorate Johnny's career. He passed away 2010. 

Considering September 11th, 2001 to be one of the bluest day in America’s history she wrote “Stand Up for the U.S.A.” to honor; not only her father, Seaman 3rd Class Robert Johnson but all of our veterans and the families and victims of this horrible tragedy. In 2007 she wrote the recitation, “I Wouldn’t Go …” to honor her father with the song heard in the background. Both were heard on radio stations across the country for the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor 2011 with local radio stations dedicating their program to her father who was critically ill. Unfortunately, her father passed away the night before. 

Being from Texas, The Queen of Swing™ and due to her husband’s influence the late Johnny Patterson who had worked with the King of Western Swing, Bob Wills, Kelli recorded a Texas Swing CD, “Swing Like That in 2000 which was the first time her title was documented but not registered as a Federal trademark until 2006. The CD topped charts at #6 and her own swing tune #2. Due to its popularity, she was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame. A few years later, Kelli wrote / recorded “Don’t Mess With Texas” for the Texas Department of Transportation, which is the reason she registered the title as a trademark. She recorded Public Service Announcements for the states litter campaign and wrote her own slogan, ‘Bag It, Trash It”. In 2009, she won the Will Rogers Award Female Artist of the Year for her CD, “Swings & Sings” and with fan voting only she was the only female nominee for the RMA Artist of the Year.

As her name and notoriety continued to grow she was one of only 209 Texas artists selected to be on the Texas Touring Roster. The Texas Commission on the Arts solicited her help to stop funding cuts to the arts with Public Service Announcements. 

With required nomination and sponsorship, Kelli was included in the Mid-America Arts Alliance Touring roster with subsidized funding by the National Endowment for the Arts. With extensive research she wrote a musical revue, “Swingin’ the Blues”. The highly acclaimed original revue, designed as a clever way to showcase her CD’s, takes the audience down a musical highway of Blues, Jazz & Swing as the Swing Queen follows the BEAT from New Orleans to New York City, Chicago to Kansas City, Memphis to Vegas and to the GREAT state of Texas. Telling little known facts and funny anecdotes Kelli demonstrates “Swings” evolution into a musical revolution. (psst, don’t tell anyone but the show is very educational) 

As an Award winning Singer, she was inducted into World Who's Who Jazz Cabaret Singers, New York, NY - Federation of American Musicians and the Heritage Registry of Who’s Who - Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.  Her vocals are low and sultry and, almost mesmerizing. Her Pop CD, “Softer Side of Swing” was ONE of only 36 albums on the Grammy® voting list for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album” and her own pop single, “If You Were the One” in contention for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance”. (Not Nominated) 

Endorsed by Jean Bennett, the responsible management for the success of “The Platters” & their 16 Gold records Jean declares Kelli “a consummate entertainer”, A TRIPLE THREAT: Singer, Songwriter and Musician and she is also very funny and, pretty.

Few artists are credited with creating their own musical style. Known for her signature piano style in which Kelli plays a walking 4/4 “swing” bass line in her left hand coupled with piano poundin’ rock-a-billy leads in the right. She combine the two styles to call her musical style, Swing-a-Billy™ which only the Queen of Swing™ can bring.


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