Afton offers artists hope for finding greater satisfaction and fulfillment in their creative work. We provide this through live performance opportunities and online informational resources. In an industry full of people anxious to tell you that you can't, we're lucky to be able to tell you that you can. By providing an opportunity for live shows, Afton offers a primary vehicle for artists to share what they have created. Aditionally, we provide unique strategies for artists and advocate a proactive mindset. We encourage them to determine the purpose of their art, establish their definition of success, and then create the plan that will get them there. This missing framework is the only thing keeping many artists from having the career they want. Afton's events allow an artist's music to come to life. Live performance is where the deepest connection between the fan and artist can take place. Also, at the local level, live shows are the best way to gain new fans. Our shows offer artists hope for growing their following, which is a very common career goal.

Adapted from AftonLive.com

Afton offers artists hope for finding greater satisfaction and fulfillment in their creative work. We provide this through live performance opportunities and online informational resources. In an industry full of people anxious to tell you that you can't, we're lucky to be able to tell you that you can. By providing an opportunity for live shows, Afton offers a primary vehicle for artists to share what they have created. Aditionally, we provide unique strategies for artists and advocate a proactive mindset. We encourage them to determine the purpose of their art, establish their definition of success, and then create the plan that will get them there. This missing framework is the only thing keeping many artists from having the career they want. Afton's events allow an artist's music to come to life. Live performance is where the deepest connection between the fan and artist can take place. Also, at the local level, live shows are the best way to gain new fans. Our shows offer artists hope for growing their following, which is a very common career goal.

Adapted from AftonLive.com

Reggae/Ska:
Fishbone lives up to their legend as "THE" group to bridge the gap between the funk of George Clinton and the blare of Rush; a hybrid fusion where Led Zeppelin and Sly Stone dance to a frenetic ska beat that fuel's the alternative thrust of acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's Addiction and No Doubt. Fishbone first gained attention with their unique live concerts, earning a reputation as one of the most original bands in the alternative genre. Their unique stew of different styles, mixed with hectic energy and pounding rhythms, were a huge influence on the funk/rock/metal/rap genre that would become popular in the 1990s. Live audiences around the world have been surrendering to the band's stage flash and magical rhythms with uninterrupted regularity. Such passionate devotion is not lost on Fishbone, who refer to their friends on the road as "The Familyhood." The current line up (Norwood Fisher, Angelo Moore, John Steward, Dre Gipson , Rocky George, and John McKnight) released their 8th record in 20 years, "Still Stuck in Your Throat" on March 27, 2007. This Current lineup has steered Fishbone into a unique Jazzy/Gospel feel that has to be seen live to understand how a band could be considered "jazzy/ska/gospel/punk-rock/reggae" to quote Angelo Moore when asked to describe Fishbone's newest direction. Attention seems to be returning to the band as they appeared on 'Look At All The Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime' with an amazing and energetic cover of 'Date Rape'. Their version of the song has received airplay on radio stations nation wide across the US and a film clip has been made. They also appear as the house band in Outkast's movie, "Idlewild" as well as a Christina Aguilera video. You can also see them in David Arquette's directorial debut, "The Tripper".

Adapted from MySpace.com/FishboneIsRedHot

Living Couture Fashion Show presents emerging fashion designers and visual artists from the houston area. Plus special appearances by Tooties, Juliete & Romeo Couture, Chicle De Anya and more stylish fashions. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to the Houston Community College Fashion Scholarship Program. Prepare to couture yourself.

Before joining The Smiths, Andy Rourke had played guitar and bass in various rock bands, as well as in the short lived funk band Freak Party, often with his school friend John Maher. When Marr and Morrissey formed the Smiths, Rourke joined the band after their second gig, and remained with the band almost throughout its existence. Marr claims that Rourke's contribution to The Queen Is Dead LP was "something no other bass player could match". After the break-up of the band, Rourke and Smiths drummer Mike Joyce played with Sinéad O'Connor - Rourke appears on the album "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got." They also, along with Craig Gannon, provided the rhythm section for two singles by former Smiths singer Morrissey - "Interesting Drug" and "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" - and Rourke composed the music for Morrissey's songs "Yes, I Am Blind," "Girl Least Likely To," and "Get Off the Stage." Rourke has also played and recorded with The Pretenders, Killing Joke, Badly Drawn Boy, Aziz Ibrahim (formerly of the Stone Roses), and ex-Oasis guitarist Bonehead as Moondog One, which also includes Mike Joyce and Craig Gannon. Rourke is a DJ on Xfm Manchester, broadcasting new and classic indie anthems on Saturday nights. He is currently in a band called Freebass with bass players Mani (ex-The Stone Roses) and Peter Hook (New Order) and vocalist Gary Briggs. He organised Manchester Vs. Cancer 2007, which took place on March 31st 2007, and has announced the 2008 gig. He has also been playing bass for Ian Brown on his recent tour.

Adapted from Wikipedia.org

Michael Sanders And
One Tribe Nation

Taking a page from the book of early 70's super groups, One Tribe Nation is an eclectic mix of world-class musicians inspired by multiculturalism, diversity, and the concept of a single world community. Based in Los Angeles the group was brought together by the vision of guitarist Michael Sanders. His father, the late Will Sanders, was a pianist/singer who played and sang with The Inkspots,Cab Calloway, Mercer Ellington (The Embers), and Count Basie throughout the fifties and sixties. Joining the Nation for this release are all-star greats like Luis Conte, (Eric Clapton, Madonna, Santana, Andy Vargas of Santana, JimmyRoberts (Rod Stewart, Rick Braun) and long time Rolling Stones backup singer Bernard Fowler, as well as touring members and session players for such artists as Pink, Black Eyed Peas, Ricky Martin, Frank Gambale, The Goo Goo Dolls and the Rembrants. One Tribe Nation is an explosive and unique brand of high-octane, beat-driven progressive fusion. Emotional intensity, catchy riffs, and overall good songwriting is what makes this band stand out not to mention the tension and synergy among these extremely talented musicians.

Adapted from MySpace.com/OneTribeNation

Punk:
Although the band has seen several lineup changes throughout the years, the common thread that has kept the Misfits thriving is founding member JERRY ONLY. In addition to a huge catalog of music over the past 30 years, Only and the Misfits have toured relentlessly across the globe and celebrated Halloween 1999 with two Sold Out shows at Madison Square Garden in NYC. In addition to their countless TV appearances world wide, the band appeared in four feature films, as well as a stint in professional wrestling with Ted Turner's WCW. The band's now classic "fiend skull" logo can be found on a plethora of top selling merchandise throughout the world and the collectibility of anything Misfits continues to grow on a daily basis. The Misfits currently remain more aggressive, more topical and more sought after than ever before. Relentlessly led by founding member; Jerry Only (Bass/Vocals) with former Black Flag alum Dez Cadena on guitar and original Misfits drummer Robo still behind the kit, the Misfits continue to sell out shows and draw thousands of fans night after night around the globe. In closing, Only surmises: "The Misfits have been preserved on determination and the sheer will to survive. That determination has been bound by the unequaled loyalty of our fan base of fiends. Our goal is simple, to be the best. In resurrecting this band I risked all that I'd done in the past and I dared to challenge a legacy born in my youth. Today I am stronger, smarter and faster than I have ever been. We plan to continue as always, eclipse the past, block the sun and drag humanity by the throat into a world of darkness filled with ghouls, goblins and creatures of the night, where we are king." One thing is certain, The Misfits are here to stay and once again everyday is Halloween.

Adapted from MySpace.com/themisfits

Afton offers artists hope for finding greater satisfaction and fulfillment in their creative work. We provide this through live performance opportunities and online informational resources. In an industry full of people anxious to tell you that you can't, we're lucky to be able to tell you that you can. By providing an opportunity for live shows, Afton offers a primary vehicle for artists to share what they have created. Aditionally, we provide unique strategies for artists and advocate a proactive mindset. We encourage them to determine the purpose of their art, establish their definition of success, and then create the plan that will get them there. This missing framework is the only thing keeping many artists from having the career they want. Afton's events allow an artist's music to come to life. Live performance is where the deepest connection between the fan and artist can take place. Also, at the local level, live shows are the best way to gain new fans. Our shows offer artists hope for growing their following, which is a very common career goal.

Adapted from AftonLive.com

Pop/Rock:
As a solo artist and as the lead singer of the Babys and Bad English, John Waite was a fixture of album-oriented rock radio stations during the '70s and '80s. Waite had a talent for power ballads and driving arena rock, occasionally touching on new wave-styled power pop, as well. Several of his songs - including "Missing You," the Babys' "Isn't It Time," and Bad English's "When I See You Smile" - became radio staples. John Waite formed the Babys in London, England, in 1976. Initially conceived as a teen pop band, the group earned a record contract based on the strength of a video demo they constructed with producer Mike Mansfield. Chrysalis pushed the band heavily, resulting in "Isn't It Time" becoming a hit in the U.S. and U.K. in 1977. As their career progressed, the group began to experiment with synthesized, new wave-inspired power pop, which resulted in a handful of hits. Waite began his solo career the following year, releasing Ignition on Chrysalis. While the album generated the minor hit "Change," his second album, 1984's No Brakes, became a genuine Top Ten hit on the strength of the number one single "Missing You." While "Missing You" was an international smash, eventually becoming one of the best-remembered songs of the early MTV era, No Brakes produced the Top 40 "Tears."

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Afton offers artists hope for finding greater satisfaction and fulfillment in their creative work. We provide this through live performance opportunities and online informational resources. In an industry full of people anxious to tell you that you can't, we're lucky to be able to tell you that you can. By providing an opportunity for live shows, Afton offers a primary vehicle for artists to share what they have created. Aditionally, we provide unique strategies for artists and advocate a proactive mindset. We encourage them to determine the purpose of their art, establish their definition of success, and then create the plan that will get them there. This missing framework is the only thing keeping many artists from having the career they want. Afton's events allow an artist's music to come to life. Live performance is where the deepest connection between the fan and artist can take place. Also, at the local level, live shows are the best way to gain new fans. Our shows offer artists hope for growing their following, which is a very common career goal.

Adapted from AftonLive.com

Rock:
World renowned instrumental rock guitarist Gary Hoey forges new territory as a lead vocalist on his upcoming Surfdog release “AMERICAN MADE” on August 22nd. With 13 instrumental albums under his belt which have spawned several top rock radio hits. Gary proves that his incredible talent goes beyond his fingertips. This album features 12 new tracks including the first single LUNATIC FRINGE. Multi-tasking as writer, producer and guitar player, Hoey has had clients who include DISNEY, ESPN, NO FEAR, performed the National Anthem for the SAN DIEGO PADRES and the BOSTON REDSOX. Hoey’s first break came when Ozzy Osbourne showed up in Boston looking for a guitarist. Osborne liked Hoey’s tape enough to fly him to LA for an audition. In 1993 Gary Hoey launched his career with the hit song "Hocus Pocus." His fiery technique helped to send it to the top 5 on Billboards charts, The Boston raised guitarist covered the tune on his debut album, Animal Instinct (Warner Bros Records), transforming Hoey, a then-struggling player into a cult hero. He followed with the soundtrack to the surf saga Endless Summer II (Warner/Reprise), which cemented his status as a demi-god among surfers. Even Dick Dale, the surf-guitar king gave Hoey his blessing, proclaiming him his favorite modern guitarist.

Adapted from GaryHoey.com

Punk:
The Original Southern California Punk/Surf Power Trio, Agent Orange has been around since forever. Never bought in, never sold out. Blazed a musical trail so wide that imitators had no trouble driving right up the middle of it in an armored truck full of major label ca$h. Still flying under the radar after all these years, with a loyal following that's always one step ahead. Hooked up all over the world, but always looking for someplace else to go. 100% guaranteed to make your ears ring. Expose yourself to Agent Orange's Fullblown-Supercharged-Punk-Surf-Grind, and you'll never be the same. C'mon down front, and have some fun!

Adapted from MySpace.com/AgentOrange

Avant-Garde/Experamental Rock:
Buckethead is one of the most bizarre and enigmatic figures in American underground and experimental music since Parliament-Funkadelic birthed their bevy of cosmic characters in the mid-'70s. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist best known for his virtuosic command of the electric guitar, Buckethead is one of the instrument's most recognizable contemporary innovators, his rapid-fire riffing, near-robotic fretwork, and idiosyncratic lead lines combining elements of Yngwie Malmsteen, Adrian Belew, Slayer's Kerry King, P-Funk's Eddie Hazel, and avant-improv artist John Zorn's Scud-attack sax abuse. In addition to releases including 1998's Colma, Buckethead has also contributed soundtrack material to such films as Last Action Hero and Street Fighter. Buckethead returned in 1999 with Monsters and Robots, after which he joined the short-lived reformation of Guns N' Roses. A steady stream of releases followed into the 21st century ranging from the contemplative Electric Tears to more electronica/rock hybrid, and collaborations with San Francisco's underground hip-hop scene. In the following decade, he averaged a few releases a year, teaming up with dozens of artists, including Les Claypool, Iggy Pop, and Mike Patton, and in 2008, he collaborated with actor/musician Viggo Mortenson for Pandemonium from American.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Rock/Heavy Metal:
Upon his exit from Sepultura in late 1996, singer/guitarist/songwriter Max Cavalera almost automatically set out to form his next musical endeavor, the ultra-heavy Soulfly. Cavalera put together a band that included Roy "Rata" Mayorga on drums (ex-Thorn) and Jackson Bandeira on second guitar (ex-Chico Science), while former Sepultura roadie Marcello D. Rapp rounded out the quartet on bass. Their self-titled debut album was released in the spring of 1998. Soulfly's second album, Primitive, was released in the fall of 2000. He handled the production for 2002's III, and Soulfly returned again in 2004 with Prophecy. A year later, Roadrunner reissued their self-titled first album as part of the label's 25th anniversary celebration. Soulfly's fifth album, Dark Ages, appeared in October 2005. Continuing his habit of switching up the lineup, Cavalera was backed this time out by bassist Bobby Burns, guitarist Marc Rizzo (ex-Ill Niño), and drummer Joel Nunez, who had previously played on Primitive. In 2007 Cavalera began collaborating with brother and former Sepultura drummer Igor on a project called Cavalera Conspiracy. The duo made its live debut that August as the opening act for Soulfly, and went on to release an album, Inflikted, for Roadrunner in 2008. Soulfly's sixth full-length offering, Conquer, arrived in July 2008.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

THE HOUSTON JEWISH SINGLES CONNECTION WILL START OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW AND EXCITING EVENT.

TIME: 6.00PM-9.00PM - PRICE: 10.00 AT THE DOOR

HORDERVES WILL BE SERVED AND HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS ON DRINKS! FREE PARKING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CLUB. RSVP IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED DUE TO CATERING AND SEATING.

RSVP TO: jewishsingleshou@aol.com

Born in 1998, in homage to the high energy and eccentric music of the 1980’s New Wave scene, POLYSICS was founded by members, Hayashi, Kayo, Fumi and Yano. They have since built a huge international fanbase through their hyper-frenetic live shows and their multiple releases in Japan, the US and Europe. Between 1999 and 2001, POLYSICS released four records in Japan; 1st P, A.D.S.R.M., NEU, and ENO. Following that flurry of releases, in 2002 the band released For Young Electric Pop, and 2003’s National P.

Adapted from MySpace.com/polysicsna

Amy Benfer/Metro

With Special Guests
Black Gold

Psychobilly:
From virtual unknowns to stars of the Warped Tour and stadiums across Europe, HorrorPops have thrived on the strength of great songwriting, remarkable intuition, a jaw-dropping live experience and a willingness to explore an array of styles. Be it new wave, punk, surf, ska, rockabilly, metal or goth, the trio's self-produced, film-centric third Hellcat album, Kiss Kiss Kill Kill, embraces all of the aforementioned rock & roll subgenres with admirable aplomb. Crafting a thrill ride of an album is no easy feat, but Patricia Day (lead vocals/upright bass), Nekroman (lead guitar/vocals) and Niedermeier (drums/vocals) have done so by adhering to instinct. By staying true to their original and diverse musical vision, HorrorPops have flourished, building a tremendously loyal and ever-growing following in the process. While the Denmark-reared, L.A. based HorrorPops' expertly crafted new disc marks a return to the new wave leanings abundant on its widely-cherished 2004 Hell Yeah debut, Kiss Kiss Kill Kill is also a bold song-cycle that balances circle-pit punk and Hot 100 pop with exhilarating results. "We started HorrorPops so that we could play all styles of music," Patricia explains. But after its 2005 rock-based sophomore breakthrough Bring It On!, Day admits, "We really wanted to get back to the classic new wave feel that we love. And I think our excitement about these songs has made a hell of difference."

Adapted from MySpace.com/TheHorrorpops

Rock:
We are not your typical “band for a night”. We bring a sonic experience to the venue. Whether that venue is under the stairs at a bar on 6th Street in Austin, or in front of a thousand people in a concert hall. We are just as happy and comfortable taking our music “out” to a crowd of hippies for four hours as we are playing a tight thirty minute opening slot. The attitude is still the same, even if the notes we play and how we play them is different. New set lists are written every night before the gig. We play so many shows that if we played the same set from night to night, it would get real old, real fast; for us and for our audience. We’ve all had to do that in other bands we’ve been in, and were sick of it. That’s where playing weekly gigs comes in handy, it really teaches you to keep it fresh from week to week. We’ve even had fans end up getting jobs at the bars we do our weekly gigs at, just so they could get paid to see us every week. That’s pretty cool.

Adapted from MightyOrq.com

Alternative Rock / Underground / Experamental Rock:
Arguably the most infamously named band in the annals of popular music — for years, radio found their moniker unspeakable, and the press deemed it unprintable - Butthole Surfers long reigned among the most twisted and depraved acts ever to bubble up from the American underground. Masters of calculated outrage, the group fused the sicko antics of shock rock with a distinct and chaotic mishmash of avant-garde and Texas psychedelia. It should only stand to reason that any band who would call themselves Butthole Surfers would be masters of irony. But after 15 years and, with "Electriclarryland," now 13 releases, the ultimate irony may be how these twisted purveyors of musical mayhem have become pioneers of the current underground music scene. It's not anything they set out to become. "We weren't really thinking about things too much," says guitarist Paul Leary of the band's genesis. "I think it was to avoid working at a restaurant washing dishes or working at the lumber yard. We did manage to do that." "Electriclarryland" is an even-more dizzying panorama of power chords, musical pranking, conceptual weirdness and all-out rock 'n' roll hysteria than their major label debut, 1993's Independent Worm Saloon (produced by Led Zepplin's John Paul Jones with the alternative rock hit "Who Was In My Room Last Night?" Butthole Surfers were founded in 1981 by Leary and singer Gibby Haynes, who, at the time, were both students at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Haynes had grown up in Dallas (where his father hosted a popular children's TV show), and was a star accounting and economics student. Leary, a native of San Antonio, had been playing guitar since the age of five, and was studying art and finance (in which he almost earned a masters degree). Despite such seemingly straight-laced academic interests, the two were definite square pegs in a round-hole world. They scammed their way onto a Dead Kennedys bill in San Francisco. In early 1983, they added drummer King Coffey whose band the Hugh Beaumont Experience had opened for Buttholes. Their raucous experimentalism and Texan rebelliousness made Buttholes critical favorites.

Adapted from Celebrity Access

Rock/Neo-Prog:
Hailing from Los Gatos, CA, Dredg began sharpening their aggro-metal sound in the early '90s. Comprised of Gavin Hayes (vocals/guitar), Mark Engles (guitar), Drew Roulette (bass), and Dino Campanella (drums), the group was performing in area clubs before they'd even graduated from high school. Dredg self-released the Orph EP in 1997. The ambitious Leitmotif followed two years late, and it was reissued with the band's 2001 signing to Interscope. El Cielo, Dredg's proper Interscope debut, arrived in autumn 2002, and Deftones producer Terry Date was at the helm for their 2005 effort Catch Without Arms. They released the concert album Live at the Fillmore a year later.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Adult Alternative Pop / Contemporary Singer-Songwriter:
Singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw grew up playing music at home with piano studies beginning at eight and later playing in cover bands with his older brother in upstate New York. After a brief stint studying music at the prestigious Berklee School of Music, DeGraw, who had been writing his own songs since his cover band days, decided to make a go of it as a singer/songwriter in New York City. Upon his arrival in the late '90s, DeGraw made an impression with crowds, and occasionally with journalists, as his name began to pop up in columns and best-of lists. The steady buzz led to offers from major labels, but DeGraw chose to take his time, and let his craft develop and his audience grow. He eventually signed a record deal with Clive Davis and his J Records imprint (home of Santana as well as R&B mainstays Alicia Keys and Angie Stone). DeGraw's debut, Chariot, arrived in the summer of 2003 and, like his early days in New York City, it slowly built momentum and earned the young singer a small but fervent following. By 2004, its first single, "I Don't Wanna Be," had become a Top 40 number one hit, and the album was re-released in a form that augmented the original album with a made-over acoustic version, billed as Chariot — Stripped. DeGraw's next single, "Chariot," was also met with positive response and climbed the charts in 2005. DeGraw's self-titled album Gavin DeGraw was released in 2008.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Indie Rock/Alternative Pop:
There has to be some credit given at least for this band's name alone — co-founder John Gourley once explained it as an attempt to create a demi-mythic entity bigger than the individual members. Whatever the exact origins of the name, Portugal. The Man itself came together in Alaska in the wake of the initial dissolution of Anatomy of a Ghost, with guitarist/vocalist Gourley and bassist/singer Zach Carothers continuing to work together. Portugal. The Man formed with the addition of keyboardist/singer Wes Hubbard, himself a veteran of other Alaska groups, leading to the three eventually relocating from Alaska to Portland, OR, to record and perform. Their initial existence there was the typical hardscrabble life of a band with few resources having to live day to day, but drummer Jason Sechrist, formerly of Konmai Defense System, joined to form a more stable lineup. Attention grew through word of mouth, given even more widespread reach thanks to the Internet (the band made heavy use of its sites on both MySpace and PureVolume), leading to an initial EP release in 2005 followed by its debut album, Waiter: You Vultures!, in early 2006. The next year Portugal. The Man, who was now a three-piece (Hubbard had left), issued Church Mouth.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Indie Rock/Singer Songwriter:
Once just a small coffee shop, The Hotel Café has quickly blossomed into not only one of the premier singer/songwriter venues in the United States, but also been labeled “the place that breaks artists.” The artists surrounding The Hotel Café regard it as home, where lyrics, voice and a DIY approach rule. On any given night, you can find well known artists (such as: Weezer, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Death Cab For Cutie, KT Tunstall and many more) on the same bill with up-and-comers, playing both as solo artists and as a communal project, sometimes well rehearsed and sometimes in the heat of the moment, and more often than not, jamming into the wee hours of the morning. For the past 4 years, The Hotel Café has been presenting a tour that has hit every major market in the United States and the UK. The concept of the tour was to share the same community vibe with music fans all over the globe. Artists performed solo and would then share the stage with fellow tour mates. No cookie-cutter corporate American Idols, just real music, written by real artists, surrounded by real friends, who actually have a story to tell. The tour will feature a rotating lineup of at least five artists at every show, all sharing musicians and supporting one another, making for a unique night of music. The tour is held together by performer and co-organizer Cary Brothers, who will be present for the entire tour.

Adapted from MySpace.com/HotelCafeTour

Satisfaction is the international touring tribute show dedicated to the "World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band". This glamourous show has been in production and touring since 2001 with over 1200 performance dates to its credit. It is the only full time touring show of it's kind in the world. This highly acclaimed production showcases the most authentic cast and costuming audiences have ever witnessed. Featured in dozens of national newspapers, magazines and television ads as the greatest show ever honoring the Rolling Stones and their legacy. In 2005 the show became the first ever Rolling Stones show on the Las Vegas strip as they debut as part of the award winning show "Legends in Concert" to outstanding reviews. In 2007 the group was featured on the CBS News New York special on the ever popular rise of tribute shows. The highest accolades arrived in the spring of 2008 when they were contacted by Paramount Pictures and the IMAX Corporation to assist in promotion of the new Martin Scorsese produced Rolling Stones documentary film "Shine a Light".

Adapted from RollingStoneShow.com

Rock:
Norma Jean was formed in Douglasville, GA (a suburb of Atlanta), in 1997. In the early 2000s, the band recorded two CDs as Luti-Kriss. Their first release was the 5 EP, followed in 2001 by the full-length Throwing Myself on Seattle's Solid State label, a subsidiary of Tooth and Nail Records. Often mistaken for the controversial rapper Ludacris — who, coincidentally, is from the Atlanta area — the members of Luti-Kriss opted to adopt the Norma Jean name. Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child introduced this new moniker in 2002; it was also the band's heaviest, most brutal effort to date. While Norma Jean's first recordings inspired comparisons to Limp Bizkit and Korn, Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child was often compared to Hatebreed. Isis and Mastodon producer Matt Bayles lent their help to 2005's O God, the Aftermath, while Korn and Limp Bizkit producer Ross Robinson helmed the epic Redeemer in 2006. Chris Raines, the drummer for Spitfire, joined the band in early 2008, and the new lineup released Antimother that summer.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Indie/Electronic:
Android Lust is Shikhee. Born in Bangladesh, Android Lust auteur Shikhee has been exploring the cutting edge of desire, rage, and panic in her songs since her first independent release. Borrowing elements from diverse musical styles, Android Lust presents a blend of electronic rock that is provocative, engaging, and fiercely emotional. Shikhee has been making quite the name for herself in the indie electronic music community. Her music evolves with each release, showing a greater musical range than the plethora of unoriginal and copycat bands in the scene. Shikhee's commanding voice takes center stage, set against her most challenging, yet accessible songwriting to date. And in true Android Lust fashion, she saves her best hooks for her most vicious sentiments, all while taking modern electronic music even further to the edge. Android Lust's songs have also appeared on CBS' "Navy NCIS" (including an on-air mention of the band's name) as well as MTV's The Real World, Road Rules, and Made.

Adapted from AndroidLust.com

Death Metal:
These Canadians started to rock in 1992 with the mission statement "deliver the most punishing music ever created by combining melody and power into one devastating force." Whether they are the most punishing band ever could be debated for hours over multiple bottles of Jim Beam. But one thing is for sure: Kataklysm is an extremely heavy death metal band that has managed to remain interesting throughout their career. Their other amazing feat is that they have managed to maintain the same lineup throughout the years — Maurizio Iacono (vocals), Jean-Francois Dagenais (guitars), Stephane Barbe (bass), and Max Duhamel (drums). Supporting bands like Deicide, Cathedral, Brutal Truth, Vader, Cannibal Corpse, and Dark Funeral has helped them gain popularity worldwide. The band has released eight albums in the last ten years and still continues to rock.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Indie Rock/Punk Blues:
The two-man duo comprising the Black Keys, singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, were in their early twenties when their debut, The Big Come Up, was issued in 2002. From Akron, OH, they play close-to-the-bone, raw blues-rock, the only instrumentation being Auerbach's guitar, Carney's drums, and the occasional organ. Auerbach had a fine, mature, lived-in blues voice for one so young, and the group's material worked in funk, soul, and rock influences from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown that avoided undue repetition of the overdone chord progressions and stock riffs common to so many such acts. Before the year's end, the band inked a deal with Fat Possum. The Black Keys' second album, Thickfreakness, was recorded in 14 straight hours one day in 2002. To prepare for its April 2003 release, the duo was handpicked by Sleater-Kinney as the opening act for their winter tour of North America. Rubber Factory followed in 2004 and earned notices as one of the best records of the year. A live DVD arrived in 2005, followed by the Chulahoma EP and the full-length Magic Potion in 2006. Three years later, the Keys issued the Danger Mouse-produced Attack & Release.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Post-Rock/Experamental/Psychadelic Rock:
Formed from the ashes of the trance-rockers Spacemen 3, singer/guitarist Jason Pierce's group Spiritualized did not break away from his prior band's trademark hypnotic minimalism; instead, they perfected it. Drawing on the continued influence of the Velvet Underground, La Monte Young, and Steve Reich, Spiritualized staked out a common ground between minimalism and lush symphonics — while powered by simple, repetitious motifs, their songs simultaneously blossomed into rich, shimmering sonic panoramas inspired by the majestic studio wizardry of Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. Such seeming contradictions were essential to the group's alchemy. Although Spiritualized fully emerged after the breakup of Spacemen 3, in truth the band's roots extended back to the band's final LP, 1990's Recurring. The first true Spiritualized single, was a dramatic reading of the Troggs' "Anyway That You Want Me." In 1991, Spiritualized returned with a string of EPs — Feel So Sad, Run/I Want You, and Smile/Sway — before their long-awaited debut, Lazer Guided Melodies, finally appeared the following year. In 1995, Spiritualized issued Pure Phase, a heady, dense production which boasted separate mixes from each stereo channel. With 1997's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Pierce deliberately jettisoned many of the band's usual points of departure, including drones, tremolos, and phase tones; recorded with new drummer Damon Reece, it featured a cameo appearance from legendary New Orleans pianist Dr. John on one track, while Memphis studio legend Jim Dickinson appeared on another. Other guests included the Balanescu Quartet (also featured on Pure Phase), the London Community Gospel Choir, and Spring Heel Jack. The two-disc Royal Albert Hall October 10 1997 live album followed in late 1998. Let It Come Down, which featured an even lusher, more involved sound than Ladies and Gentlemen, was released in mid-2001. The follow-up, 2003's Amazing Grace, was more of a back-to-basics record. Songs in A and E arrived in spring 2008.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Emo / Alternative Pop:
Nearly a year after the release of his debut album, Awake, Secondhand Serenade is back with his much-anticipated follow-up, A Twist In My Story. Rightfully titled, the album finds Secondhand Serenade; real name John Vesely, adding onto his signature raw vocals and guitar with the use of orchestration and a full band. Carrying the momentum of a carefully crafted career, support from his label Glassnote Records, along with the adoration of millions of fans, A Twist In My Story is slated to be released on February 19th of 2008. The album finds John coming off of one of the most hectic years of his life after appearances on MTV, Yahoo! Music, AOL, Music Choice, in Rolling Stone, and more. Rigorous, national tours followed with other notable artists including the Plain White T’s, All American Rejects, and Hawthorne Heights before deciding to take some time to focus on recording. With the tracks completed a sold out show in support of Good Charlotte helped to ease John back into the life of a touring musician as he played to a crowd of over 1,000 people in Anaheim before the start of his own 24 date, headlining tour that Fall.

Adapted from MySpace.com/SecondhandSerenade

Folk Rock/Blues Rock:
Singer/songwriter Amos Lee draws inspiration from such soul and folk artists of the '70s as Bill Withers, John Prine, Neil Young, and James Taylor. The Philadelphia native first became serious about performing while attending the University of South Carolina during the mid-'90s. After graduating, the English major taught elementary school before deciding to pursue a music career full-time. A period of waiting tables and bartending followed as Lee honed his songwriting skills. Eventually, he landed some high-profile opening-slot gigs including an extended tour with pianist/vocalist Norah Jones. He released his eponymous debut album on Blue Note in 2005 and his sophomore effort, Supply and Demand, in 2006. Last Days at the Lodge followed in 2008.

From AllMusic.com

Rock:
Not to be confused with the Canadian heavy metal band from the late '80s, named simply Sword, the Sword is a retro-metal four-piece hailing from — of all places — the singer/songwriter oasis of Austin, TX. First conceived in 2003, the Sword really hit their stride about a year later, when founding vocalist and guitarist J.D. Cronise joined forces with guitarist Kyle Shutt, bassist Bryan Richie, and drummer Trivett Wingo, and made a much raved-over appearance at Austin's famed SXSW festival. National touring stints with everyone from Clutch to indie rock darlings ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead followed, and by mid-2005 the Sword had been picked up by New York-based indie label Kemado Records, with their much-anticipated debut album, Age of Winters, appearing early the next year. Before completing their second album, they contributed two songs (one original and one Led Zeppelin cover) to a split 12" EP with Swedish heavy rockers Witchcraft in November 2007. Gods of the Earth arrived in spring 2008.

Adapted from AllMusic.com

Blues/Rock:
Blazing from a wall of Fenders, Amplified Heat electrifies Texas Boogie with a psychedelic-blues style of rock & roll. This Austin-based trio's fierce ssounf and relentless stage act is captivating blues, metal, punk, jazz, classic country, and rock enthusiasts accross the U.S. Rolling Stone Senior Music Editor David Fricke was blown away by their aggressive live performance at Austin's 2007 SXSW festival, citing the Ortiz brothers' "boogie-war vengance." Amplified Heat continues to destroy crowds accross the country with just that. Signed to Austin indie-label Arclight Records in 2004, Amplified Heat has also showcased at the Republic of Texas Biker Rally and the Texas Roller Derby and the Emissions From The Monolith Festival in Ohio. Now with three Arclight releases, Amplified Heat embarks on a tour of the Mid-West and East, bringing with them a killer teastament to Austin's erupting rock & roll scene. So if you like it heavy, mean, and loud, but also like to spin and twist your girl around, come out and get crazy to the sound.

Adapted from MySpace.com/AmplifiedHeat