Old Crow Medicine Show Set to Release Carry Me Back on July 17, 2012 Through ATO Records

Band Announces US Tour Dates
Show Plays Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre August 18TH!

Old Crow Medicine Show (OCMS) are excited to announce the release of their newest album, Carry Me Back, on July 17 through ATO Records. Carry Me Back is the band’s fourth studio album and first since 2008′s Tennessee Pusher, and features 12 brand new tracks that sonically span the band’s career while still pushing them forward in new directions as musicians and songwriters. The album was recorded at the legendary Sound Emporium studios in Nashville (O Brother, Where Art Thou?; REM’s Document; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’s Raising Sand).

Carry Me Back was produced by Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly). Hutt pushed the band in a whole new way that they hadn’t been pushed before. “Ted Hutt asked us to really dig deep as artists, as songwriters, to get to the heart of the matter of these songs and, especially, not to settle for anything less than their greatness,” recalls Ketch Secor of the band. Secor is also very proud of the result of the band’s songwriting efforts on the album, saying “For me, Carry Me Back is all about the songs, how they line up, intertwine, switch partners, and promenade home. Each of these songs was an accident waiting to happen.”

OCMS (Ketch Secor, Critter Fuqua, Kevin Hayes, Morgan Jahnig, Gill Landry, and Chance McCoy) will be hitting the road to tour the US this Summer in support of Carry Me Back. The tour begins on July 19 in Indianapolis, IN (prior to this show the band is headlining the ROMP Festival), and includes stops at New York City’s Central Park and the beautiful Fox Theater in Atlanta, amongst others. With most of their time spent on the road, OCMS has made a name for themselves as energetic performers with an unbridled spirit. It’s a live show not to be missed. “The greatness of an old-time string band lies in its performance,” Secor says. “The way it percolates, rattling itself almost to the edge. When you’ve got a top-notch studio like Sound Emporium, and 12 strong tunes in the works, and the time and patience it takes to get it right–that’s when great performances can be captured.” For a full list of tour dates, please see below. The Lumineers and Milk Carton Kids will provide support on a number of dates.

OCMS is also a part of the tour documentary Big Easy Express, which screened recently at the Nashville Film Festival. The movie documents last year’s Railroad Revival Tour, which featured OCMS on tour with Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros on a tour across the US, where the three bands travelled together on vintage train cars, playing rambunctiously fun shows at stops along the way.

Old Crow Medicine show have a long history of success, including sales totaling over 700,000 albums, a RIAA Gold-certified song with “Wagon Wheel,” an appearance on Austin City Limits, three performances on Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and multiple appearances on A Prairie Home Companion, various NPR programs and the Grand Ole Opry.

Old Crow Medicine Show Tour Dates

June 30 – Owensboro, KY @ ROMP Festival
July 19 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
July 20 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
July 21 – Kansas City, MO @ The Crossroads
July 26 – Louisville, KY @ Palace Theatre
July 27 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
July 28 – Nashville, TN @ The Woods at Fontanel with Special Guests
August 1 – Richmond, VA @ Maymont Park w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 2 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 3 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club w/The Milk Carton Kids and Special Guest
August 4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 6 – New York, NY @ SummerStage, Central Park w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 8 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 9 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 10 – Burlington, VT @ Waterfront Park w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids
August 12 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE w/The Lumineers
August 17 – Salem, VA @ Salem Civic Center w/The Lumineers
August 18 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre w/The Lumineers
August 19 – Charlottesville, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion w/The Lumineers & Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three
August 23 – Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre w/The Lumineers & Milk Carton Kids
August 24 – Knoxville, TN @ The Tennessee Theatre w/ The Lumineers & Milk Carton Kids
August 25 – Atlanta, GA @ The Fox Theater w/The Lumineers & The Milk Carton Kids

www.crowmedicine.com
www.facebook.com/OldCrowMedicineShow

For press inquiries, please contact:

Jim Merlis
Big Hassle Media
jim@bighassle.com

CALLING ALL ACTORS!

Cary, NC–Booth Amphitheatre’s annual Shakespeare production in partnership with the Cary Arts Center and a host of other local theater companies will host general auditions in May for area actors. This year actors have the option of auditioning at Manbites Dog Theater in Durham on May 5, or at the Cary Arts Center in Cary on May 12. Actors will be seen in groups of ten, in half-hour slots from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00. For this audition, actors need a prepared one-minute monologue, as they will not be reading for specific shows. This is a general audition, to give area actors a chance to be seen by lots of different companies and to give the companies the opportunity to see a variety of local talent. If companies wish for the actors to read for specific roles, they will contact you to schedule their own follow-up auditions.

Present at the auditions will be directors and representatives from several area theater companies, including: Manbites Dog Theater, Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern, The Justice Theater Project, Burning Coal Theatre, Haymaker, Booth Amphitheatre Annual Shakespeare (2012 production will be Romeo & Juliet), ArtsCenter Stage, StreetSigns Center, Common Ground Theatre, and more.

To schedule an appointment go to: Audition Scheduling at
Auditions are by appointment in half-hour slots for either May 5 OR May 12 (not both). Sign up for one time slot ONLY. Do not phone or email to schedule an appointment. For complete audition information go to: http://www.manbitesdogtheater.org/399/

AUDITION TIMES
10:00-10:30 a.m.
10:30-11:00 a.m.
11:00-11:30 a.m.
11:30-12:00 p.m.
12:00-12:30 p.m.
Lunch Break
1:00-1:30 p.m.
1:30-2:00 p.m.

LOCATIONS
May 5: Manbites Dog Theater, 703 Foster Street in downtown Durham
Directions and Map

May 12: Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave, Cary
Directions and Map

2012 Movies by Moonlight Announced

In what has become a popular summer favorite, “Movies by Moonlight” Series will return to the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary for another stellar season presented by WakeMed Cary Hospital. On designated “movie” nights from May through August cinema buffs are invited to attend this family-friendly event that provides the perfect opportunity and atmosphere to sit back, relax and enjoy the stars of the big screen under the stars at one of the region’s most popular venues. For a mere $3, kids under 12 are free, patrons can bring a blanket or chair as the spacious lawn at Booth Amphitheatre is transformed in to an outdoor movie theatre. A portion of the Movies By Moonlight proceeds will benefit the WakeMed Children’s hospital.

Patrons are allowed to bring in picnics on these special family nights so plan on making “Movies by Moonlight” part of your summer schedule. Please go to the Movies by Moonlight page for the most up to date movie schedule since the calendar is subject to change without notice.

Tickets can be purchased the night of the movie.

2012 Hob Nob Jazz Series Schedule Announced

Cary, NC—Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre has plans to “jazz” up your spring with a newly created music series. The Hob Nob Jazz Series will take place every Wednesday evening from April 25 – May 23 and feature local and regional talent from 5 – 8 p.m.. All seating and music will take place on the spacious Crescent Deck creating a casual environment to relax and mingle with friends.

“We are continually looking for creative ways to expose new groups of patrons to the venue”, said Becky Colwell, Booth Amphitheatre General Manager. “This series was a direct result of our relationship with venue fans who told us they wanted reasonably priced entertainment where they could gather with colleagues and friends.” To this end tickets for the series will be priced at just $5 and kids 12 & under will be admitted for free. Patrons will be allowed to bring in food and non-alcoholic beverages. The Amphitheatre will have a variety of beer and wine options available for purchase inside. Tickets go on sale, Wednesday March 28^th at noon at the Amphitheatre box office or through Etix.

The Hob Nob Jazz Series will feature:

April 25th – Peter Lamb & the Wolves

May 2nd – Stanley Baird Group

May 9th – Kathy Gelb and Gregg Gelb

May 16th – Al Strong Quartet

May 23rd – Scott Sawyer and Ron Brendle Duo

May 30th – Kathy Gelb and Gregg Gelb (rescheduled from May 9th)

N.C. Symphony offers variety in Summerfest and Pops

The B-52s, Southern Culture on the Skids and BIG Something to play Band Together

Spring Concert at Koka Booth Amphitheatre to Benefit Urban Ministries of Wake County

Band Together NC has announced the complete lineup for its benefit concert to be held May 12 at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. The “World’s Greatest Party Band,” The B-52s will top the bill for this year’s benefit concert and will be joined by regional favorites Southern Culture on the Skids of Chapel Hill and BIG Something of Burlington.

The mission of Triangle-based Band Together is to raise funds and awareness for select nonprofits through events that showcase and support musical talent. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Urban Ministries of Wake County, a nonprofit human service organization dedicated to alleviating the effects of poverty in Wake County. Funds will be used towards the nonprofit’s Open Door Clinic, which hosted 7,000 patient visits in 2011 alone. Last year, Urban Ministries served 24,000 people, providing more than 8,000 families with one week’s worth of groceries.

“We are excited to have Southern Culture on the Skids and BIG Something round out the list for our 2012 event,” said Matt Strickland, executive director of Band Together NC. “We are well on our way to reaching our goal of $600,000 funds raised for Urban Ministries of Wake County. By hosting the event at this new venue, we are now able to accommodate more fans and sponsors while keeping the same Band Together atmosphere.”

Last year’s Band Together main event featured Third Eye Blind, Dillon Fence, Lonnie Walker and I Was Totally Destroying It. The sold-out performance attracted more than 3,500 music lovers and raised $482,000 for Alliance Medical Ministry.

 The Line-Up
Recently celebrating their 35th anniversary, The B-52s, commonly known as “the world’s greatest party band,” have sold more than 20 million albums. Best known for the singles “Rock Lobster,” “Planet Claire,” “Private Idaho,” “Roam” and “Love Shack,” the band has released nine albums.

According to a statement from The B-52s, “Music moves people, and we know it has the power to bring people together for a meaningful cause. We are glad to be supporting Band Together and Urban Ministries, who are both doing good things in their local community, and we hope this event will inspire people to give back in a meaningful way.”

Since they formed in 1983 in Chapel Hill, Southern Culture on the Skids have played their unique hybrid of Americana, surf, R&B, rockabilly and swamp pop. From their 1985 debut Voodoo Beach Party, to the international smash, 1998s Dirt Track Date (featuring the hit single “Camel Walk”), and up to 2007s gender-bending album of cover tunes — Countrypolitan Favorites, Southern Culture on the Skids have continued to throw what Rolling Stone dubbed “a hell raising rock and roll party.”

Burlington-based BIG Something, winner of Band Together’s 2nd Annual Last Band Standing competition, is an alternative rock group with a BIG groove. Winner of the Home Grown Music Network’s 2010 “New Band of the Year” award, BIG Something is a tight six-piece ensemble that brings arena-sized grooves to every stage they play. Their debut album “Stories from the Middle of Nowhere” was recorded in Raleigh, N.C. with Grammy-nominated producer John Custer and was named the Home Grown Music Network’s Best Studio Album of 2010.

Tickets for the event are only $29.50 in advance or $40 day of the show. VIP tickets are $150 and include exclusive access to catered food and beverage, an exclusive VIP area close to the main stage, and a silent auction. A meet-and-greet option for The B-52s will also be available for $135, with only 40 slots available. Tickets are available now at http://bit.ly/bt52s2012.

Giving Back to the Community
Through corporate and individual donations, Band Together NC has raised nearly $1.5 million for local nonprofits since 2001. Major past contributors include Cargill, S&A Cherokee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Bank of America, Duke Realty Corporation, Lincoln Theatre, Synergy Commercial Advisors, RPG Solutions, Brand Fuel, Trisure, CapTrust, Prometheus, Hosted Solutions and Manning, Fulton & Skinner, PA. Sponsorships begin at the $500 level and are still available.

For more information about Band Together NC, please visit www.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan on Facebook or follow @BandTogetherNC on Twitter. For more information about Urban Ministries, go to http://www.urbanmin.org. Additional information on The B-52s can be found at http://www.theb52s.com.

About Band Together NC
Band Together NC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders and volunteers from across the Triangle. Since its inception in 2001, the organization has donated $1,482,000 to philanthropic organizations through one mission: using live music to raise funds and awareness for local nonprofits. Band Together’s annual concert event is organized and led by a team of more than 500 volunteers. For more information, please visit www.bandtogethernc.org.

Booth Amphitheatre Announces Switch to Etix

The outdoor concert season may be coming to a close but changes are already underway for the 2012 season at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. Amphitheatre officials announced plans to partner with North Carolina based Etix beginning November 1. The move makes Booth Amphitheatre the first local outdoor concert venue to make a change in ticketing companies. Raleigh, North Carolina based Etix has built a brand as a trusted partner in the ticketing business over the past ten years. Following an extended RFP process Booth Amphitheatre management admits Etix is the right fit for a venue always looking to put the customer first.

The change is intended to immediately impact people buying Booth Amphitheatres tickets in both their wallets and ticket buying experience. One of the most identifiable changes is that across all ticket levels customers can expect lower ticketing fees than in the past. Etix also offers social media integration where Booth Amphitheatre tickets will be able to be purchased directly from the venue’s Facebook page.

“In doing an extensive comparison evaluation it is clear that Etix is a positive decision for our ticket-buying public”, said Lyman Collins, Town of Cary Cultural Arts Manager. “Etix is a very user friendly system to use; it takes less time and fewer clicks to complete an online purchase. Additionally Etix fees are more reasonable and those savings can be passed along to the consumer. At Booth Amphitheatre we are always striving to find ways to provide the ultimate outdoor concert experience to our patrons and that begins from the time the ticket is sold. It’s also a great thing that our new partner also happens to be a neighbor!” Collins goes on to say that Town of Cary officials are so pleased with the new partnership that they have extended it to other Cary venues. “It just makes sense to send a consistent message to consumers visiting the new Town of Cary Arts Center. We feel the Etix partnership is definitely something that needs to be shared!”

Established in 2000 by Travis Janovich, Etix is an international web-based ticketing service provider for over 7,300 clients in the entertainment, travel and sport industries in over 40 countries. Etix is the largest independent ticketing company in North America and has managed ticketing solutions for high profile touring artists, including AC/DC, Aerosmith, Beyonce, Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera, Dane Cook, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Maroon 5, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Sting, Barbra Streisand, U2 and many more. Etix also manages ticketing for the North Carolina State Fair which ranks as the 7th largest fair in the nation.

While Etix is no stranger to adding new clients, the Booth Amphitheatre addition is extra special. According to Etix CEO Travis Janovich, “The team at Etix is incredibly excited to be partnering with Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The venue is one of the most beautiful and unique outdoor facilities in the country, and the team here is dedicated to the customer experience from beginning to end. As a locally-based company, we’re already frequent guests and big fans of the venue, so this feels like a natural fit. We look forward to providing Booth Amphitheatre customers with the best and most convenient ticketing services available, whether it’s over the phone, through mobile or web, or at the box office.”

Booth Amphitheatre patrons first chance to experience the Etix change will begin on November 1st with the 2012 Season Ticket on-sale. Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre has long been recognized as a hot spot for entertainment from April – October, hosting concerts, festivals, movie, live theatre and more.

The People Have Spoken!

When it comes to local annual popularity polls there is none more widely recognized and respected than the Independent’s Best of the Triangle. Each year thousands of local residents log on to vote for their favorite hot spots and activities throughout the region.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre is pleased to announce  that in the category of Outdoor Concert Venues Booth Amphitheatre has been chosen #1 for another year. “We continually hear from patrons how much they love the atmosphere our venue provides. With all the outstanding venues in the region it’s always great when the votes are tallied and Booth Amphitheatre is on top” says Lyman Collins, Town of Cary Cultural Arts Manager.

Best of the Triangle winners are determined by reader vote, and with a record number of ballots tallied again this year, the friendly community competition continues to grow along with the region the Independent—or the Indy, as it’s often called—has covered for the past 28 years.

Booth Amphitheatre, a Town of Cary facility, has won in this category the past three out of four years.