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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-Rachel B.

Posted on June 9, 2015

Captivating audiences from an early age, Rachel’s ability to inspire and connect with her fans has always come naturely, this up and coming starlete will reel you in and leave you wanting more. After studying Classical Voice at Interlochen Arts Academy, Rachel fell in love with songwriting and various genres of music from Motown to new and classic Pop. She then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and moved to Los Angeles three years later…

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First/Last-Rebuilding Year

Posted on June 8, 2015

Rebuilding Year is a melodic punk rock band from Pittsburgh who play tonight (6/8) in Braddock at Ink Division opening for No Tide. I want to thank Jeremy Voelker (Guitar) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last

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First/Last-Drop The Act

Posted on June 5, 2015

“Since coming together in 2012, the band has developed a unique style of kinetic lyricism, captivating melodies forged with authentic rock energy, and pop punk liveliness. Backed by their dedicated fan base upon which they have built their foundation, the band is quickly gaining ground and plans to make big moves in the very near future.”…

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First/Last-Charlie Dakota & The Spirits

Posted on June 4, 2015

“Residing somewhere between Field Report and War on Drugs is Charlie Dakota & The Spirits. Awash in synths and pedal steel, the Mississippi quartet is in no hurry on the pensive “Glow,” the last song on their just-released Songs from Motel 43, indicative of the melancholy and spartan arrangements that inhabit the album.”Bucket Full of Nails

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First/Last-The Boy & Sister Alma

Posted on June 3, 2015

“The Boy & Sister Alma is the electro-pop project of Montana natives Jennifer Murphy and Lenny Eckhardt. Formed in late 2012, their music is a blend of nostalgic sounds and modern production – mixing styles of synthwave, ’80s pop and electro, italo disco, dreamwave and 21st century synth pop. While tapping into a variety of moods and genres, the group’s material consistently embodies a “new-retro” vibe with a cinematic flare. Their tracks have recently caught the attention of bloggers, producers, and remixers in the retro/synthwave scene, resulting in several remixes and a collaboration with UK producer Sunglasses Kid…

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First/Last-Talk in Tongues

Posted on June 2, 2015

“Los Angeles foursome Talk In Tongues didn’t come out of nowhere, although it sounded that way when their debut
single “Still Don’t Seem To Care” suddenly appeared online. And it felt that way for them at the beginning, too, when each member was a refugee from another band that just wasn’t working right. Back then, they were barely acquaintances-guitarist and singer McCoy Kirgo remembers seeing his future bandmates at shows in their other bands, and then at parties after the shows. And if you looked into the music they’d already made, it didn’t quite make sense for them to put a band together. (Future bassist Waylon Rector wrote constantly, but all his songs were laptop-made synth-pop.)”…

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First/Last-Adam Torres

Posted on June 1, 2015

At the age of twenty, Torres wrote and recorded Nostra Nova, an album greatly inspired by the visual art of Adolf Wolfli and the writing of Swiss psychologist C.G. Jung. Torres developed these inspirations from summer visits to his parents’ home in Switzerland, where they lived from Torres’ late teens through his mid-twenties.

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First/Last-Sarah Blacker

Posted on May 29, 2015

“Boston’s “Sundress Rocker,” Sarah Blacker’s music will make you “feel it all, In Waves.” Taken from the title track of her forthcoming release, this lyric immediately informs the listener as to the emotional content of her songs. The record is filled with skillful rhythm guitar, piano and ukulele, and sung with a uniquely soulful voice which is much bigger than the size of the artist it comes from.”…

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First/Last-Laney Jones and the Spirits

Posted on May 28, 2015

“Raised on an exotic animal farm in rural Mount Dora, FL, Laney Jones sings tales of love and adventure with a
voice that has been described as “a mix of lemon, molasses, gin and gunpowder” (WPRK), mellifluous and smooth but brimming with passion. Her live performance highlights her multi-instrumental prowess on banjo, ukulele, tenor guitar and harmonica backed by her band the Spirits. Since releasing her first studio album Golden Road in 2013, she has traveled far from the orange groves and marshes of her home, graduating from Berklee College of Music and playing festival stages at Grey Fox,
Shakori Hills, String Break, Lancaster Roots and Blues and numerous others.”…

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First/Last-When Particles Collide

Posted on May 27, 2015

“Sasha and Chris met in Bangor Maine during a 2010 local production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Sasha was cast as a guitar playing Yitzhak and Chris played Schlatko, the band’s drummer. Six months later the two were a band, and three years later the band became a marriage.”…

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First/Last-Joshua Fletcher

Posted on May 26, 2015

“Born in Macon, raised in the Atlanta suburbs, living in Nashville. Grew up on Punk, fell into country, currently really into reverb. Josh Fletcher loves Coca-Cola, vinyl records, Atlanta Braves Baseball, Georgia Tech Football, old Gibson guitars, and rock and roll.”…

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First/Last-Supervoid

Posted on May 25, 2015

“Supervoid blends many influences resulting in crushing riffs, high energy and huge dynamics. Never letting their style be restricted to one category, tracks range from big energy rock and roll, soul crushing sludge, and atmospheric melody.”…

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First/Last-Venus In Furs

Posted on May 18, 2015

“Venus In Furs blends a full band with synthesizers and vocals. The live shows are an event with dancing girls and dark, electronic rock. The band, which formed in 1994, has shared the stage with many acts including: Killing Joke, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, Sponge, Violent Femmes.”…

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Image of the Day-matt pond PA/Young Buffalo

Posted on May 16, 2015

matt pond PA recently hit Pittsburgh on a short tour to promote the 10th Anniversary of their excellent 2005 release “Several Arrows Later” by playing the album in full. A few days earlier in Chicago, they were robbed and among other items stolen were their passports, preventing them from playing Toronto. They forged on with the tour which ended last night in New York. There is an active GoFundMe page where supporters can still help out the band recover at least monetarily…

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First/Last-Can’t Dance

Posted on May 15, 2015

“Can’t Dance is a three-piece “Indie-Rock” band based out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Drawing influences from great acts you’ve never heard of such as Pavement, Built to Spill, Dismemberment Plan, and Cloud Nothings. Can’t Dance has gained a strong guitar-driven 90’s Alternative sound using youthful imagery in lyrics and crunchy guitar riffs to drive energetic song structures.”…

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First/Last-Midge Crickett

Posted on May 14, 2015

Midge Crickett is a Pittsburgh songwriter who’s main instrument is the cello. She brings her quirky chamber folk style to her new album “A Dragon is Not Your Friend“. As a member of Middle Children and The Fuckies, she leaves those bozos behind and will hopefully have cello in hand (and ukulele if we are lucky) this Saturday (5/16) at Modern Formations for a solo gig. I want to thank her for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last

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First/Last-matt pond PA

Posted on May 13, 2015

“It’s a complicated quest, trying to pin down all the different sides that make up Matt Pond PA, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. They have always defied conventional descriptions; perhaps the only way to make sense of it all is to bring the band’s past and future together as one, to let them meet and shake hands.”…

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First/Last-Young Buffalo

Posted on May 12, 2015

“There’s nothing typical about the Oxford, Mississippi-based rock act Young Buffalo or the story behind their debut album, House. Although the group’s songwriters Ben Yarbrough and Jim Barrett didn’t begin playing under the Young Buffalo moniker until 2009, they started writing music together as teenagers and never ceased evolving.”…

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First/Last-Eli Whitney & The Sound Machine

Posted on May 11, 2015

“With candid emotion, stylistic fluctuations, and perpetual energy, Eli Whitney & The Sound Machine are a slightly unhinged punk band based out of Brooklyn who simultaneously lament and celebrate life in transition on their newest record, “Reasons to Leave”. They are not interested in confines or reputations. They are extremely interested in being your new best friends.”…

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