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HALIFAX’S BEN CAPLAN & THE CASUAL SMOKERS KICK OFF CANADIAN TOUR DATES IN SUPPORT OF NEW RELEASE THIS WEEK

After an astute performance at last week’s annual Nova Scotia Music Week in Yarmouth, NS, and a wildly successful European tour, Halifax’s Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers launch a Canadian tour this week. To support the release of their stunning new release In The Time of the Great Remembering, the band is temporarily bidding the Maritimes adieu to play a number of dates throughout November with Montreal’s Charlotte Cornfield.

“In the Time of the Great Remembering is easy to like. It doesn’t take many listens to get to know it and have bits and pieces of Caplan’s gruffly romantic songs stuck in your head,” reviewed the Dalhousie Gazette.

“Halifax is my home but there’s something really special about taking In The Time of the Great Remembering on the road again, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to play these songs to audiences I don’t see quite as often,” says Caplan. “I’ve spent the last three months on the road promoting this record and it’s been a really wonderful experience, touring is one of the greatest parts about being a musician.”

This fall has already seen Ben Caplan gracing stages at Reeperbahn Festival in Germany and sweeping through the United Kingdom converting boat loads of new fans along the way. Caplan always makes it of importance to play on home soil. He managed to make appearances at both Pop Montreal festival and Halifax Pop Explosion as well.

Paying homage to classic blues with tones faintly lit by folk, this release demonstrates Caplan’s uncanny response to songwriting. It takes a listener through a soulful, rousing adventure with arrangements of musical prowess molded by the likes of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan. Tour dates and download links below!

WATCH Ben Caplan performance of “Stranger” and interview for Balcony TV:

http://youtu.be/u02qIFCzQwg

DOWNLOAD hi-res artwork and media materials here:

http://www.audiobloodmedia.com/EPK/materials/bencapalbum.jpg

DOWNLOAD In the Time of the Great Remembering in full here:

http://tickettoride.ca/audioblood/BenCaplan_Remembering.zip

TOUR DATES

Nov. 9 @ Strut Gallery, SACKVILLE (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 10 @ Plan B, MONCTON (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 11 @ The Capitol, FREDERICTON (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 12 @ Pepper’s Pub, ST. JOHN, NB (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 13 @ The Fusion Cafe, WOODSTOCK, NB (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 14 @ L’Agitee, QUEBEC CITY (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 16 @ The Supermarket, TORONTO (w/ Gabrielle Papillon, Revelstoke)

Nov. 19 @ Pearl Company, HAMILTON (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 20 @ Van Gogh’s Ear, GUELPH (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 21 @ Cafe Pyrus, KITCHENER (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 23 @ The APK, LONDON (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 24 @ The Phog Lounge, WINDSOR (w/ Charlotte Cornfield)

Nov. 30 @ Le Divan Orange, MONTREAL

Dec. 3 @ Viewpoints Gallery, HALIFAX (*Exhibit About Evolve Festival)

BIO

Rugged, raspy, and roaring with charisma, Halifax’s Ben Caplan is to folklore what smoke is to bourbon. Perfectly coupled. Ben’s songwriting is as bold in range as it is in ferocity. Fueled by a quality of melodrama and powerful lyricism, it’s the romance and the manhood crashing with his voice that gives Caplan a truly innovative and experimental artistry. A sound that bridges the gap between controlled composition and unruly passion.

Striding in pace with gypsy-inspired strings amid the sultry tones of clarinet and saxophone, Caplan has marked his place in the Canadian music landscape with a growling spirit similar to that of Tom Waits. Caplan’s tours have extended throughout the Commonwealth, the rhapsodic energy in his live show an elegant cacophony gaining attention around the world .

Breaking between guitar, banjo, piano, and melodica, Caplan’s stage show is almost reminiscent of a burly and bearded Freddy Mercury; a raging, strong, and exploratory songwriter, it’s the blues in his soul, and the heart in your chest pounding as one that makes Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers an act not to be missed.

Ben Caplan has been a touring musician since 2006. Seasoned in coast-to-coast travel, Caplan his seen stages in the UK and has performed a rolodex of festivals.

LINKS

http://bencaplan.ca

http://myspace.com/bencaplanmusic

http://twitter.com/bencaplanmusic

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TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS :::: Chicago, IL December 9th – 10th

Posted in News with tags Chicago, MOVE, MOVE Community Conference, The Rock Tribune, TheRockTribune.com, TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS on November 10, 2011 by Randy

Melbourne, FL – Florida based non-profit To Write Love on Her Arms will be holding its MOVE Community Conference in Chicago, IL from December 9th-10th. MOVE Community Conference is a two-day in-depth, engaging workshop held in an effort to begin conversations about issues that are often left in the dark (depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide).

The goal of the conference is to battle stigma and shame with honesty and compassion. Licensed professional counselors lead a discussion in exploration of what is behind these struggles, what drives them, what recovery looks like, and how people can make a difference.

MOVE is for people looking for a way to engage others in conversations about topics that are serious issues in our society. The conference stems from the idea that uniting resources helps connect people from places of pain to places of hope and healing. MOVE is for teachers, students, mentors, parents, friends, pastors and professionals — whether they are new to these topics entirely or have worked in a clinical setting for years.

MOVE Community Conferences began in 2009 as a way of equipping people to engage in a healthy dialogue about the topics TWLOHA deals with on a daily basis: depression, anxiety, addiction, self-injury, suicide, brokenness, hope and community. Since TWLOHA’s inception in 2006, they have functioned as a bridge to those hurting online, alone and unsure of where to go for help. The conferences are a continuation of the conversations held online, at events, and during TWLOHA’s speaking engagements.

For more information and an application regarding MOVE Chicago, please email move@twloha.com.

Applications are due by November 28th.

For more information on MOVE, please go to: www.twloha.com/move/move-conference/

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DETAILS CONFIRMED FOR CORY SMOOT MEMORIAL SERVICE

Posted in News, Releases with tags Cory Smoot, GWAR, memorial service, music, obituary, Smoot Family Fund, The Rock Tribune, TheRockTribune.com on November 10, 2011 by Randy

Arrangements have been finalized for the memorial service for Cory Smoot AKA Flattus Maximus. The service will take place this Friday November 11^th at the Bennett Funeral Home Chesterfield Chapel, located at 14301 Ashbrook Parkway in Chesterfield, VA. The service begins at 4:00 PM and is open to the public.

Cory’s obituary can be viewed HERE

In lieu of flowers the family is asking that contributions be made to the “Smoot Family Fund”. Details about making contributions are forthcoming.

GWAR will have to cancel two performances on their current tour, so they can attend the services. Thursday November 10^th in Medford, OR and Friday November 11^th in San Francisco, CA are the dates that are affected. Tickets for both dates will be refunded at point of purchase. The complete remainder of the tour with Every Time I Die, Ghoul and Warbeast will resume as scheduled Saturday November 12^th at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, and runs through Sunday November 27^th at Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT.

GWAR ON TOUR

11/12 West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues

11/13 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse

11/14 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre

11/15 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater

11/16 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall

11/18 Austin, TX @ East Side Drive In

11/19 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues

11/20 Houston, TX @ House of Blues

11/21 New Orleans, LA @ The Hangar

11/22 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

11/23 Tampa, FL @ Green Iguana Stadium

11/25 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre

11/26 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory

11/27 New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place

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THE MAINE ANNOUNCE FIRST EXCLUSIVE STUDIO UPDATE ON FILTER’S RAGGED MAG :::: TO RELEASE PIONEER ON DEC. 6TH!

Posted in Artist Watch, New Music, News with tags music, My Heroine, Pioneer, The Maine, The Rock Tribune, TheRockTribune.com on November 10, 2011 by Randy

CHECK OUT THE MAINE’S 1^st STUDIO UPDATE ON RAGGED MAG, HERE:

http://bit.ly/toz87n

Phoenix, AZ – November 9, 2011 – From their debut album in 2008 (Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop) to last year’s major label effort (Black & White), Arizona rockers The Maine have been tirelessly cranking out hits and racking up fans for years. Now as 2011 is reaching its end, the band is gearing up to give fans the perfect holiday gift with the release of studio album #3, Pioneer, on December 6th. In preparation for that, The Maine have released an exclusive studio update on Filter’s Ragged Mag today, Nov. 9^th. The band talks about moving into a farm in Gilbert, AZ to write new tracks for the album, including the already buzzed-about “My Heroine,” and then the process of narrowing down from 40-50 songs to create the final product. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes studio look on Ragged Mag, here: http://bit.ly/toz87n and be sure to pre-order Pioneer now at themaine.hellomerch.com!