Aloha from sandy East Main Street where I your charming and witty writer is trying to drown out the noise of machinery to bring you this weeks ticket extravaganza. We have quite a few shows for you this week and as always there’s a bit of something for everyone...well almost everyone. We here at Dane101 would also like to give a big sloppy opened mouth kiss to True Endeavors, the High Noon Saloon, Just Sayin' Is All, and the affectionately nicknamed "the Maj'" for providing the tickets for all of you to fight over. Remember first one to comment gets to go to the dance, but starting this week once you have won you have to serve punch with the rest of us for three weeks. So enough of this chit-chat on with the shows.

May 14th at the High Noon Saloon True Endeavors Presents Josh Ritter and Dawn Landes. Doors open at 8:30 and it is a 18+ show.

Josh Ritter has been kicking around quietly here in the U.S. since 1999. It wasn’t really until he released 2002’s “Golden Age of Radio” that some began to take notice. With each passing year Ritter seems to grab the attention of more and more listeners with his heavily Dylan influenced folk-rock.

I expect with his latest recording “Live at the 9:30 Club” Ritter will gain the apt distinction of one of America’s finest young songwriters. Like his elders Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello (British), and Leonard Cohen (Canadian) Josh Ritter has the distinct gift of pulling in his listeners regardless of their musical tastes. If you are unable to make the show or just want to hear the new album you can follow the link above to his website where it is streaming in it’s entirety.

Dawn Landes opens the show and will appeal to fans of Shannon Wright and Beth Orton. While doing some research on Ms. Landes I realized she has one hell of a musical resume; she has worked with Phillip Glass and Hem and opened for Midlake, and Jason Isobell. Her newest album “Fireproof” should prove to put Landes on the map. I suggest going to her Myspace page and listening to the song “Bodyguard.”

May 15th at the High Noon Saloon Awesome Car Funmaker has their CD Release Party and celebrates it with The Selfish Gene and Inspector Owl. Doors open and 9:00 and it is a 21+ show.

Awesome Car Funmaker have been a Madison staple since their formation in 2003. ACF play lighthearted pop-rock and their live shows go on to cement this classification whether it’s with leg kicks or just running around like children. They will be out celebrating the release their third album “E is for Everyone.”

The Selfish Gene are in one the ballyhoo making you shake your ass with their Classic Rock tinged indie-pop. It was with their 2007 release “The Grand Masquerade” that people outside the beltline began to stand up and take notice of these fine gentlemen. I don’t think it will be long until The Selfish Gene will have to been seen on bigger stages.

Inspector Owl kick off the festivities and will have you dancing. This Dekalb, IL band brandishes a synthesizer and they are not afraid to use it. The five members that make up Inspector Owl almost make you think there are at least twice that many musician on stage with their synth heavy pop music.

May 16th at the High Noon Saloon True Endeavors Presents The Von Bondies and Die! Die! Die!. Doors open at 9:30pm and the show is 18+.

The Von Bondies for some time had a small but loyal following but it was the inclusion of their song “C’mon C’mon” on the Dennis Leary show “Rescue Me” that introduced the world to the bands arena ready rock. Their gritty garage rock has withstood the rise and subsequent backlash that came with being a garage rock band earlier in the decade. I believe it is the pop sensibilities in The Von Bondies’ and the gigantic sound in their music that has helped them sustain as a band. Either way they will undoubtedly tear the roof off the High Noon come Friday.

Die! Die! Die! open and will show you how they do it in their native New Zealand. Their last release “Promises, Promises” produced by Steve Albini has his fingerprints all over it sounding gritty, raw, and unabashedly noisy. Die! Die! Die! Could very well steal the show, and that’s saying something considering the headliners.

May 16th at the Annex True Endeavors Presents Subtle with Fog and Locks. Doors open at 9:30 and the show is 18+.

What can I say about a band like Subtle? Frontman Doseone is as polarizing as Subtle’s music; you either really like them or you could really care less, I’m on the fence. I really dig some of the Anticon tracks and other side projects from Subtle’s members but it has never translated into fandom for the entire band. That’s my two cents but I know it won’t help or hinder Subtle as they are rather visionary when it comes to experimenting with sound. Whether it be samples of birds, employing strings or just making noise they do have true gifts and I’m sure the freewheeling presence you get on record translates masterfully to the stage. I may go to this show just to witness it myself.

Minneapolis’ Fog may be one of the best bands not called The Blind Shake to come from the Twin Cities in the past 5 years. Initially Fog’s Andrew Broder focused a great deal on hip-hop experiments but with 2007’s “Ditherer” he stepped away from that and while many electronics still remained he decided to play the part of Americana songwriter and it’s a part he plays well.

May 17th at the High Noon Saloon & WORT present the 8th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Tribute Show. Doors open at 8:30 at it is a 21+ show.

Tex Tubb (damn does he make a fine taco) and the Jokermen pay tribute to the majesty that is one Mr. Robert Zimmerman or to you who are on more intimate terms Bob Dylan. Tex and the Jokers will pay tribute to the man, the myth, the legend that is Bob Dylan by playing covers from the American treasure’s songbook.

May 18th at the Majestic Theatre, Blind Melon with Down the Line, 8 p.m. and all ages.

All I can say is life is pretty strange when you are a band performing without the guy who made you famous. That said, the Hoonless Blind Melon has received a great deal of critical praise for the new line up featuring Travis Warren of Rain Fur Rent. Warren succeeds by naturally having a Hoonesque vocal sound while not trying to mimic the passed on singer. The most recent release charts a clear path for BM into the jam territory. The songs are sunshiney with lots of roots undertones and, if they sail the course proper, they should find themselves as one of the premiere acts at a festival like Bonnaroo next year. Old fans won't be disappointed, and jam fans will likely find a new obsession.

May 18th at the High Noon Saloon True Endeavors Presents Asylum Street Spankers. Doors open at 8:00 and it’s a 21+ show.

I didn‘t know this but theAsylum Street Spankers have been singing my them song since I was in High School and I sing it most nights when I get home from the office. The song is called “Beer” and I will provide a lyrical sample “Beer beer beer beer beer, we love beer,” simple yet oh so sweet. While it might appear to be a novelty ASS (I’m such a child) have some chops. Their live shows are typically performed without amps or microphones much like their predecessors in the blues and bluegrass genre did for years. You may be wondering how that might sound at a venue like the High Noon but after hearing vocalist Christina Marrs’ voice I know they are up to task, or they may just use amps and mics and I’ll look like a jackass.

May 21st at the Annex, Just Sayin Is All presents Old Time Relijun with Sleeping in the Aviary, Dark Horse Project, and Kitty Rhombus. Doors open at 9 p.m. 18+

Raggedy indie rock with a throat singing lead vocalist, how can you go wrong? Portland's Old Time Relijun has solid following in Madison with most of their shows taking place in basements and co-ops. Now they bringing their magical ability of bringing hipsters, hippies, and punkers together for an orgy of dancing and rockin to the Annex.

May 21st at the High Noon Saloon, True Endeavors Presents Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers and Those Poor Bastards with a pre-show screening of the film Seven Signs. Doors open at 8:00 and it is a 21+ show.

Seven Signs is a documentary by Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers front man Col. JD Wilkes. The film sets out to prove that the Old South still live a kicking in all it’s dusty glory. After the film the aforementioned band will take stage to give you your Psychobilly fix. Prepare yourselves for what will be one raucous event.

Opening for Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers and closing out this giveaway are Madison’s Those Poor Bastards and I am wondering where I have been and why I haven’t heard of them before. Their music is both beautiful and horrifying; the kind of music you drink in a dark room alone to. I’ve always wondered what the love child of punk and country would be and some might say rockabilly but I don’t think Those Poor Bastards really fit into the niche. TPB are an animal in and onto themselves.