Dave Matthews attacks his acoustic guitar as if he were playing a drum kit. “Percussions are my obsession. In fact, sometimes I see myself as drummer trapped in a guitarist’s body,” states the South African native, who is rarely caught standing still when performing with the Dave Matthews Band.

Dave Matthews attacks his acoustic guitar as if he were playing a drum kit. “Percussions are my obsession. In fact, sometimes I see myself as drummer trapped in a guitarist’s body,” states the South African native, who is rarely caught standing still when performing with the Dave Matthews Band. A true genius on the acoustic guitar, Matthews really prefers to be viewed more as an ensemble player–a brilliant and yet distinctive instrumental voice, but still just one of the bright threads that help to weave the complex sound of the Dave Matthews Band. The antithesis of the flashy guitar extrovert, Matthews chooses to let his fingers bounce around the fret-board almost as quickly as he dances around the stage. In the end, both the musicians and the audience are witness to the birth of music that is completely fresh and new.

Bon Scott sang the immortal words, “Let there be sound, light, drums, guitars…let there be rock!” As simple as these words might be, I don’t think they were penned with the Internet in mind. In the beginning, back in 1986, a small Rock station in Long Beach, California, signed on the air, in an effort to satisfy the city’s insatiable hard rock appetite. Then it came to pass in 1995 that that little ol’ rock & roll show packed up its “Pure Rock” format and bid a fond farewell to the airwaves, leaving a hard rockin’ legacy that went far beyond its 3,000 watt reach.

The birth of Gov’t Mule began when Warren Haynes and Allen Woody sought an outlet to jam outside of the Allman Brothers. With the addition of Matt Abts, who played with Haynes in the Dickey Betts band, the trio was complete. “They’re a reckless rhythm section,” Haynes says of the other two. “They’re like an earthquake with an ‘on/off’ switch. When you’re improvising, a big part of it is how deeply you listen. These guys take up space, but in a very meaningful way. That’s what a trio is all about.”

The scenario: a dark, crowded, hot and sweaty theater in Hollywood. The venue is stuffed to the gills; the audience is waiting for the first band to begin. A young lady standing next to me whispers in my ear, “I drove all the way from San Diego to see this show. I think Art Alexakis and Everclear are just awesome.” With a simple smile, I lean back and casually tell her that she’s in for quite a pleasant surprise. Complementing this bill is Toronto’s Our Lady Peace, out in support of their second album, Clumsy. As the quartet begins “Automatic Flowers,” the unassuming concertgoers start to move as one collective unit to the mesmerizing beat. Longhairs and buzz-cuts, leather jackets and suits all move to the sound of this one band. As the set ends, the young lady thanks me for the good advice, and asks that I refresh her memory as to the name of the band. I happily respond: Our Lady Peace!

Resilience and faith are two commodities that are essential in today’s fast-paced life. “The name Jars Of Clay” states Charlie Lowell, keyboard and vocalist for the band, “comes from scripture. ‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us’ (II Cor. 4:7). That one verse describes exactly the picture we are trying to communicate.” Once just a group of friends sharing a common faith and inspiration to make music, Jars Of Clay have begun a movement to bring religious music into the mainstream.

Over the course of the last 20 years, Ric Ocasek has been one of alternative rock’s most revered pioneers. His work with the Cars, the various side and solo projects, and even his poetry have kept him front and center in the music world–even when he’s not writing or producing. He’s had enormous triumphs as well as a few falls. If he has an opinion on a particular subject, he speaks his mind freely, directing pointed barbs at any detractors, rarely apologizing for anything.

Over the course of the last 20 years, Ric Ocasek has been one of alternative rock’s most revered pioneers. His work with the Cars, the various side and solo projects, and even his poetry have kept him front and center in the music world–even when he’s not writing or producing. He’s had enormous triumphs as well as a few falls. If he has an opinion on a particular subject, he speaks his mind freely, directing pointed barbs at any detractors, rarely apologizing for anything.

Inspiration is a funny thing. Some guitarists, like Jimi Hendrix, claim their music comes to them in waves, as if you’re being struck by a lightning bolt right out of thin air. Others, like Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana and Robben Ford, play from the heart and not the head. It’s instinctual and not something that’s tangible or can be reasoned out. A true musician really has no method for what he plays, just a passion to share and an ability to communicate clearly through music.

Not since the late Stevie Ray Vaughan has anyone burned up the blues like Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The “Tornado” from Shreveport, LA, who has, with his long blonde hair and Stratocaster in tow, rekindled blues in the 90s much like Clapton, Page and Beck did in the late 60s and 70s. With his own band, as well as the additional support of Double Trouble, Kenny Wayne simmers, steams and rocks the blues so as to attract a crowd of serious concert-going fanatics. His unadorned guitar lines alternately caress and blister, easily whipping the unassuming into a mass frenzy. His sophomore album, Trouble Is…, continues the high-octane deluge he started on Ledbetter Heights by echoing the influences of B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix, all the while updating the blues for a new generation of guitar fans.