DigiVegas 111 - The States

Joining me this week is Brooklyn based Indie rockers The States. The States's razor-edged political rock has the uncanny ability to simultaneously sound like Radiohead, Led Zeppelin, and the front page of the New York Times. Their inventive songwriting has been featured on ESPN, VH1, and MTV, and it has also made them Winners in the 2008 International Songwriting Competition ("All the Salt in the Sea") and Grand Prize Winners in the 2007 John Lennon Songwriting Contest ("Black Jack"). The band's latest release, 2007's The Path of Least Resistance, spent 6 straight weeks on the CMJ Top 200. The States recently opened for Candlebox at Summerfest 2008 in Milwaukee, and they are currently working on their 3rd album with producer Chris Grainger (Wilco, Switchfoot).

Download the interview's MP3 FILE here.

You can go to www.digivegas.com to stream it.

You can find The States at their WEB SITE or their MYSPACE PAGE

Path Of Least Resistance is available at

DigiVegas 110 - Carrie Rodriguez

My guest this week is Carrie Rodriguez. Originally from Austin, TX, now living in Brooklyn, NY, she began playing violin at the age of 5 simply to avoid taking naps. She has since graduated from the Berklee College of Music, and has travelled the world as a hired hand, and fronting her own band. She opened for Lucinda Williams earlier this year, and is scheduled to appear on Austin City Limits in late October, 2008. Listen to episode 110 of DigiVegas to hear tracks off her latest CD She Ain't Me.

Download the show's MP3 FILE here.

You can find Carrie at her WEB SITE or her MYSPACE PAGE.

You can find her music on

and at amazon.com She Ain't Me Seven Angels on a Bicycle

and some cd's with her and Chip Taylor

The Trouble With Humans Red Dog Tracks

Live from the Ruhr Triennale Angel of the Morning

DigiVegas 109 - Freshman 15

With intricate harmonies and catchy rhythms, Freshman 15 has been hitting the Southeast with an infectious pop-punk sound that has been known to energize crowds and leave you with a song stuck in your head. Check out episode 109 of DigiVegas to hear tracks off their new CD Five Ways To Get To Third Base.

Check them out on their MYSPACE PAGE.

You can Download the show's MP3 FILE here.

DVI Podcast 108 - The Melismatics

These are the guys I've been telling you about, The Melismatics, from Minneapolis, MN. They beat out .Sub, as well as a bunch of other bands, by winning the Lollapalooza Last band Standing competition. They got to play the big stage this year as the winners.

Their new new CD, The Acid Test, is due to be released September 30. Listen to four tracks off the album, as well as tips and tricks on band van repair. :)

You can check them out on their WEBPAGE or their MYSPACE PAGE.

You can download the show's MP3 FILE here.

You can buy a copy of The Acid Test and Turn It On at Amazon.com.

You can also buy MP3's at

DVI Podcast 107 - Xoch

My guest this week is singer/songwriter front-girl XOCH (pronounced “Zoach”, meaning “the goddess of flower and song”). She knows how to grab her audience with huge hooks, a driving and dynamic rock/pop sound, and powerful lyrics that resonate poetically inside your head, refusing to let go.

Download the show's MP3 FILE HERE.

You can chaeck Xoch out on her WEB SITE or her MYSPACE PAGE

You can buy her previous CD's at amazon.com: Cabaret and One

You can also buy her music on

DVI Podcast 106 - Virginia Coalition

From Alexandria, Virginia, Virginia Coalition has recently released their fifth CD Home This Year. Lead singer/guitarist Andy Poliakoff joins me to play tracks off the album and to tell us why you should never say "we're making great time, we're ahead of schedule!". He also helps identify for us the ever elusive, yet ubiquitous snore leper.

Listen to the show's MP3 FILE HERE.

Check out their WEB SITE and their MYSPACE PAGE.

You can purchase Home This Year as a cd at Amazon.com.

Or you can purchase Home This Year as an mp3 download.

or go to

DVI podcast 105 - Five A.M.

My guest this week is lead singer/guitarist trent Yaconelli (center) of the band Five A.M.

Having recently rteleased their third CD, Raise The Sun, Five A.M. is on tour right now supporting Sister Hazel.

Raise the Sun is an album of love, hope, and reaching for something bigger than oneself. It also marks the third time Five A.M. fans have helped to fund the music. Armed with the radio ready promise of “Raise the Sun” and the support of industry veterans, Five A.M. has stepped up to the plate, looking to make the same impact on a national level.

Listen to the interview HERE.

Visit their WEBSITE or their MYSPACE PAGE.

You can order Raise the Sun through amazon.com or through

He's going to be a household name someday, mark my words.

Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, now living in Miami, Florida, Carlos Bertonatti has experienced a fascinating life from an early age and has always been searching for ways to express his adventurous and artistic side. He began writing songs in his early teens. On his latest CD, Times Are Good, he's hooked up with Multi-platinum producer Chris Rodriguez. Together they created a unique and undeniably feel good album. It’s comprised of catchy hooks and melodies, acoustic sounds sprinkled with an array of eclectic instrumentation and Latin percussion. In early 2008 he signed the first ever joint venture record deal between Sony ATV Publishing and Epic Records with both acting as record labels. Look for the release of Times Are Good some time later this year. But right now you can listen to tracks off the album on episode 104 of DigiVegas...Welcome to the show!

Here's a link to the show's MP3 FILE.

Visit Carlos at his WEB SITE or his MYSPACE PAGE.

DVI Podcast 103 - The Dares

It's pretty amazing to realize that these guys have been playing music for ten years, and they are only just now old enough to vote. Twin brothers and co-founders Ben (guitar/lead vocals) and Matt (drums/vocals) Peterson were all of 8 years old when they performed their first gig. They landed a major-label contract with Jive Records before they’d even finished high school.

I was able to talk with them while they were in New York City recording their debut CD. The Petersons and bassist/vocalist Martin Lascano give us a sneak peek at some of the songs that will be on that CD, due out some time after Christmas. They are excited to be in this position, and can hardly wait to share their music with the world. As Matt puts it: “We waited forever just to make it to this point,” he says, “and now that we’re here, it’s like all that energy we’ve had bottled up is ready to come out. We’re ready to play – we’re ready to be everywhere.”

Download the show's MP3 FILE here.

You can check them out at their WEB SITE or their MYSPACE PAGE.

DVI Podcast 102 - The Joy Bus

Are they a shoegazer band? A punk band? Austin's The Joy Bus can't quite put a finger on their own style either. One thing's for sure, they're loud and they have a great sense of humor. Here's an excerpt from their bio: "...We are an independent band, we book our own shows, we record in our garage, we mail our own cd's out, and we will play anywhere that sounds like a good time... And the joy bus loves you the most, more than any other person in the whole world, no matter what anybody else tells you."

You can download the show's MP3FILE here.

Check out their Myspace page here.