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HughShows Blog has featured thousands of original live band photos and has conducted over 1000 musician interviews (including Brian Wilson, Mavis Staples, and Bruce Hornsby) since starting. With the original ‘First/Last’ questionnaire, you get a sense of where the musician has come from and where they are going with their artistic expression.

First/Last-Luke McGowan

Luke McGowan is a prolific Pittsburgh based singer-songwriter who’s latest effort “Summer on Mars” was recently released. There is a lot to appreciate with this album as I am the kind of guy who you immediately have with tags like fuzz, anti-folk and psychedelia. I want to thank Luke for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last

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First/Last-Fractal Cat

“Baltimore band Fractal Cat mixes pop song and vocal craft inspired by early rock ‘n’ roll, classic soul, and psychedelia with more eclectic elements. The range of textures from acoustic guitar to axophone to electronic found sounds elicits a feeling both familiar and new. Combining electronic elements and classical instrumentation with vintage rock, Fractal Cat weaves between finely crafted hyperspace pop tunes and mind-bending sonic exploration in the spirit of early Pink Floyd and Gong.”…

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First/Last-Boroughs

“In the span of less than a year, Boroughs have become one of Southern California’s most exciting and sought after Americana roots musical collectives. The four-piece blends elements of country rock, gritty folk and soulful Americana reminiscent of the likes of early Neil Young, Ryan Adams, and Wilco. Charismatic singer-songwriter Kyle Neal poignantly sings stories of heartbreak, confusion, and love while guitarist JD Carrera adds an atmospheric back country feel to the record. Bassist Derrick Wong and drummer Tyler Johnson round out the four-piece with one of the most methodical rhythm sections in Americana music today.”…

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First/Last-Forebear

“The musicians in Forebear mold together their eclectic influences into a surreal listening experience and an energetic live show. “Forebear balances the line between light and dark, hard and soft…rock and classical. You’d think, for a band, that would sound disastrous but Forebear seamlessly marries these elements together and somehow makes it work. And it’s mesmerizing.”…

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Ticket Giveaway :: First/Last-The Maccabees

Hailing from South London, kinetic indie rockers the Maccabees formed in 2004 around vocalist Orlando Weeks, guitarists Hugo and Felix White, bassist Rupert Jarvis, and drummer Robert Dylan Thomas. The group’s first single, “X-Ray,” was released on Promise Records in November of 2005, and thanks to a strong XFM-Radio showing, the Maccabees were able to garner opening spots on an Arctic Monkeys tour.

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#HughShowsTV

Posted on October 5, 2015

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First/Last-darsombra

Posted on October 1, 2015

“Transcendental audio/visual rock duo Darsombra have packed and prepared their shuttle for launch, readying themselves for journey to inner space. Brian Daniloski (a veteran of metal bands Meatjack and Trephine), pilots, navigates, and controls the sound of Darsombra, alternating between searing guitar riffs, leads, loops, mammoth vocal swells, and soundscapes. He takes one part metal, one part psychedelic rock, one part experimental, and dashes of prog, glam, and krautrock, to soundtrack the voyage. Filmmaker Ann Everton joins him on vocals, ynthesizer, and percussion, as well as stewarding us along the way by projecting her kinetic, psychotropic videos specifically composed to the music, engulfing the audience within the trip.”…

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First/Last-Small Houses

“Small Houses is a Philadelphia, PA based alt-country project featuring the songs and poems of Flint, MI native Jeremy Quentin. Artfully crafted finger-style guitar playing, and softly sung melodies describing the people, love, and homes of Quentin’s life.”…

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First/Last-The Bellfuries

“From their adopted, boom-town home of Austin, TX, The Bellfuries are constantly within earshot of the latest catchphrase. New brands are always within their peripheral view. Well and good, vocalist and chief songwriter Joey Simeone says. “But we’re a rock and roll band. People are obsessed with categories, sub-genres. We check into a hotel, and […]

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First/Last-Abi Reimold

“Abi Reimold of Philadelphia writes dynamic, cathartic songs that are darkly colorful. Rough around the edges in a way that is more honest than careless, Reimold’s music has a distinctly human quality about it. Unpredictable yet natural, Reimold’s songwriting style builds tension using dissonance both harmonically and lyrically. Her voice rides a range of octaves and emotions, exploring dark and upsetting inner worlds, adeptly contouring melodies to starkly vivid lyrics. Growing up singing in church and school choir gave her an understanding and affinity of harmony and the endless possibilities of
vocal expression. Her self-taught guitar style is influenced by acts such as Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine.”…

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First/Last-A Day Without Love

A Day Without Love has existed in many forms. Started as a solo act by frontman Brian Walker during his college years, the music took on the shape of a full-band when Walker collaborated with Philadelphia producer Jake Detwiler in 2013. The resulting debut EP, “Island”, was a sharp contrast from the mellow acoustic musings that Walker had leaned on in the past – it was aggressive, grungy, and energetic.

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First/Last-Derek Woodz Band

“The current six(sometimes seven)-piece band came together in the summer of 2012 and includes an instrumental
lineup of acoustic guitar, harmonica, lead electric guitar, mandolin (acoustic and electric), drums, percussion/congas, and bass. The band also often invites keys and horns into the lineup. DWB defines themselves as being reminiscent of an energetic 60’s-70’s Rock n’ Roll vibe while incorporating a new-age jam-style atmosphere. DWB is currently promoting new material for their upcoming album which will boast a developed, mature version of their past originals in a style that thrives on live performances.”…

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First/Last-Lone Wolf Club

“Based in Pittsburgh, PA, LWC is a band made up of six main members, however, they often bring in other musicians for shows and recordings. They are currently in the preproduction and recording stages of their first EP, scheduled to be
released within the next year, and are performing at smaller venues in and around Pittsburgh.”…

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First/Last-Egomyth

“Egomyth walks the tightrope between modern and classic rock, creating songs that defy easy categorization. Their sound combines rock, new wave, and alternative music. Their influences include Muse, U2, Faith No More, The Cure, Killing Joke, The Fixx, Simple Minds, Roxy Music, and The Mission UK. The Egomyth sound is powerful, evocative, mysterious, innovative, and challenging.”…

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First/Last-Ben Bedford

“Ben Bedford delivers intriguing sketches of America, its individuals, their victories and their struggles. Poignant, but never sentimental, Bedford’s portrait-like songs capture the vitality of his characters and draw the listener deep into the narratives. With three albums to his credit, Bedford’s songs tackle scenarios including homelessness, the plight of a Confederate soldier’s wife during the American Civil War, the aerial triumphs of Amelia Earhart, the life of Jack London, the murder of Emmett Till in 1955, John the Baptist, the poet Vachel Lindsay and even the 1973 standoff between members of The
American Indian Movement and federal agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Often drawing upon history, Bedford’s songs have a strong sense of time and place. The songs are rich in sensory detail which allows the listener to hear, see and feel each narrative.”…

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First/Last-The Young Novelists

‘The Young Novelists play roots-rock barnstormers and heartfelt folk ballads with equal parts craft and care. Hailed as “one of the top 5 folk bands to watch in Toronto” by BlogTO, The Toronto-based folk-roots band layer harmonies and wry lyrics about about love, loss, regret, and redemption over intricate arrangements.”…

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First/Last-Walk A Mile in Her Shoes

“There is an old saying: “You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® asks men to literally walk one mile in women’s high-heeled shoes. It’s not easy walking in these shoes, but it’s fun and it gets the community to talk about something that’s really difficult to talk about: gender relations and men’s sexualized violence against women.”

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First/Last-Kyle Lawson Band

“For more than five years, Lawson fronted and managed the Old E Allstars, a Pittsburgh based funk, rock & roll band described by Randy Baumann of the WDVE morning show as a “big badass funk band.” The group opened for iconic and modern national acts such as Trombone Shorty and Bernie Worrell of Parliament Funkadelic.”…

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First/Last-Easy Roscoe

“Five friends who love to hang out and play music together. Our easy-going relationship translates well to our performance on the stage. We incorporate multiple instruments such as ukulele and trumpet to make it feel more like a party than a show. Our number one priority is that our fans have a blast listening to us make music.”…

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First/Last-Herbcraft

“Across four LPs, Herbcraft’s trajectory has taken the form of an open-ended and perpetual trip, covering ground from Agartha’s pining bedroom odes to Ashram’s psychedelic living room services, to the full-band barn hoots of 2013’s The Astral Body Electric. On its fourth album, Wot Oz, the band undergoes another bold reinvention, shifting its locale to the Traummaschine A/B warehouse, where Matt Lajoie met with drummer Aaron Neveu and bassist/organist Joe Lindsey for the trio’s
first-ever rehearsal in July 2013. Though intended simply as a rehearsal for a live gig, surveillance tape began rolling almost immediately, as the group’s chemistry imbued both abstract sound experiments and primitive rock- and blues-based numbers with the same heady waft of freewheeling possibility.”…

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