Suburban Propaganda is Pittsburgh acoustic ‘folk-punkster’ Alaska Antestenis. I am honored to have him help me celebrate ten years of HughShows today and thank him for taking the time to participate in this edition of…

This morning my family and I headed downtown to accept a proclamation from Pittsburgh City Council declaring Friday, July 18, 2014, ten years to the day that I first ‘logged on’ as HughShows, ‘Hugh Twyman Day‘ in the City of Pittsburgh. The sponsor of the proclamation is my District 2 Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith, who represents me and my neighbors in the West End of the city. I want to thank Councilwoman Smith for this incredible honor and for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last…

“California places a distinct sonic stamp upon the music born with in its boundaries. Owens had his Bakersfield, Parsons his Joshua Tree, and Malkmus his Stockton, and in their tunes you can hear dust, desert highways, and skateboards gliding over suburbia. The Donkeys have San Diego, and from that environment have woven a fundamental ease in their music – a rock, a roll, a sway, a slide – you could even call it a breeze. On Ride the Black Wave, The Donkeys continue their easy rolling, classic vibrations, but add a mystery and tension that make this record their most lyrically and instrumentally compelling.”…

Triggers at The Wilderness Recording Studio presents HughShows Live @ Eide’s on Saturday, June 14th, 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA…

Molly Alphabet at The Wilderness Recording Studio presents HughShows Live @ Eide’s on Saturday, June 14th, 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA…

“Pentimento is a punk rock quartet from Buffalo, N.Y., that strives to create a sound focused on the raw emotion of the punk scene it grew up on. While staying true to the roots and influences of its upbringing, what sets Pentimento apart is the sheer honesty and authenticity present in its music. Pentimento’s goal has always been to share passionate music with others. Its hope has always been for listeners to develop a personal relationship with its music, eclipsing the traditional
band-to-fan acquaintance and fusing a deeper bond.”…

The Hawkeyes at The Wilderness Recording Studio presents HughShows Live @ Eide’s on Saturday, June 14th, 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA

“Since their start in 2007, Yarn’s original Americana sound has developed into music that seekers of the unique see as the soundtrack to their lives. Yarn’s first four albums were recognized by the AMA’s and R&R radio charts, spending time in the top 5 at their highest point. Yarn has become one of the hardest-working and harder-touring bands for this generation’s digital natives and new music followers.”…

Paul McCartney is returning to Pittsburgh next week for a sold out show at Consol. It was recently revealed that his current band has been with Sir Paul longer than any other band he has performed with including The Beatles and Wings. One of his trusty guitarists for all these years is Rusty Anderson, who also has a long running and successful solo career. I really want to thank him for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last…

“The Eastern Sea is an Indie rock band from Austin, Texas, which originally started as a bedroom project by singer Matthew Hines and eventually morphed into a band. They have released two original full length albums and a full length Christmas album.”…

“22 bands from Pittsburgh’s east end. 22 artists. 10+ writers creating works that act as snapshots of life in Pittsburgh. Tell yr friends.”…

“Matthew Ryan’s In the Dusk of Everything marks a distilled reclamation of his more primal Americana/Folk roots. With the bluntness of punk and the evocative rhythm of poetry his lyricism shines amongst these twelve deceptively simple songs of perseverance and closure via a clarity that operates in layers amid a world of struggle, beauty and sublime epiphany. The timelessly modern and spare qualities of these songs move with an earthy cinema with Ryan’s vocals front and center, while the music ebbs and flows like stark scenery in a grainy butsaturated film.”…

Logo courtesy of Angelica B. (design) and Aura T. (coloring) “Wind and Waves is three piece band from Monongahela about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was formed by violinist Joanna P. and multi-instrumentalist Adam KM. They started playing music together at their local coffee shop’s open mic nights for a few years before having the idea to start an original music project. Bassist Zac S. was added to the lineup after a lengthy impromptu conversation in late 2012. Focusing on original music they began to write and develop a unique type of indie-folk sound due to their very different musical tastes. Joanna is classically trained violinist. Zac is an excellent bassist rooted in 90’s and contemporary rock. Adam a self-taught “we’ll see how this sounds” instrumentalist who started his musical interests playing drums.”…

“Named as one of Paste Magazine’s “Top 25 Shows at SXSW 2013″, The Soft White Sixties are increasingly gaining recognition for their infectious live performance. Since 2010 they have been perfecting their sound, appropriately dubbed Working Class Soul – a gritty edge to modern pop. They mix their vast influences into a hard-hitting and confident force reminiscent of classic R&B and Rock ‘n’ Roll but with a contemporary sensibility. The band combine soulful melodies, deep grooves, and fuzzed-out hooks to form a completely distinct sound.”…

“Deft fingerpicking and a unique voice give this singer-songwriter a style all his own….”The band hits the DV8 Espresso Bar and Gallery tomorrow night in Greensburg. I want to thank head Baddie and resident figer-picker Matt Durfee for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.