We are giving away two pairs of tickets to see Jonathan Wilson perform on Thursday, December 8th at The Troubadour. The show is 21+ with Jenny O supporting. Wilson was recently named Uncut Magazine’s “2011 New Artist of the Year” and his record Gentle Spirit was ranked #4 on Mojo’s Best Albums of the Year. He also just finished touring the world with the likes of Wilco and Jackson Browne and has announced his own headlining European tour this coming January and February. Check out the full tour dates after the jump. To win tix to the LA show, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Jonathan Wilson) and tell us what your favorite song about California is. Include your first and last name in the email. Two winners will be chosen and contacted.
Jonathan Wilson- Gentle Spirit
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We are giving away two pairs of tickets to see Cass McCombs perform (with a special light installation by Jake & Mollie) on Wednesday, November 30th at the Echo. The show is 18+ with White Magic supporting. To win tix, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Cass McCombs) and tell us why you want to go. Include your first and last name in the email. Two winners will be chosen and contacted.
Cass McCombs- Dreams Come True Girl (feat. Karen Black)
We have two copies of Dawes’ sophomore record, Nothing is Wrong (out now via ATO/Loose), to give away to two lucky readers in honor of the band’s gig this Thursday, November 17th at The Music Box in Los Angeles. To win a copy, e-mail whenyouawakela at gmail dot com (subject: Dawes) and tell us the one song that makes you feel like nothing in the world is wrong (mine is Harry Belafonte’s “Jump in the Line”…seriously, just try to put it on and NOT tap your feet). Include your address and full name in the email. Two winners will be chosen and contacted. Check out the video for “If I Wanted Someone” from Nothing is Wrong below, and enjoy a bonus clip of the boys performing their tune “When My Time Comes’ with Mumford and Sons after the jump.
Dawes- If I Wanted Someone
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We are giving away two pairs of tickets to see Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears perform tomorrow night, Friday, November 11th at the Echoplex. The show is 18+ with The Sheepdogs and Dikes of Holland supporting. To win tix, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Black Joe Lewis) and tell us why you want to go. Include your first and last name in the email. Two winners will be chosen and contacted.
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – Sugarfoot

We are just a couple of hours away from choosing the winner of our “Win a Lomography Diana Camera” competition. There is still time to enter. Click here for details on how to win and get those entries in NOW!
MP3: Ringo Starr- Photograph (buy)
MP3: The Kinks- Picture Book (buy)

In honor of the release of Deer Tick‘s latest record, Divine Providence (out today via Partisan Records), we are giving away two pairs of tickets to see the Rhode Island boys play on November 1st at the Echoplex. The show is 18+ with Guards (aka Richie James Follin of Willowz) supporting. To win tix, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Deer Tick) and tell us your favorite band named after a bug (I’m automatically excluding Deer Tick, The Beatles and the Crickets). Include your first and last name in the email. Two winners will be chosen and contacted. Be sure to also listen to their latest single, “Miss K.”, below, and check out the video of them performing “Main Street” live on The David Letterman Show earlier this month. Those boys sure do clean up nicely.
MP3: Deer Tick- Miss K (buy)
Deer Tick – Main Street

The fine folks over at Lomography have chosen me as one of their LomoAmigos! Armed with a Diana Mini, I wandered across London and Sweden for the past three months, taking photos of the different musicians and people that crossed my path. You can read the piece I did for them, along with an interview (where you can hear about the new project I’m working on, The Backscratchers) and see some of my favorite photos, here. I’ve also included some of the outtakes after the jump.

In honor of being chosen as a LomoAmigo, I have also been given one Diana Camera complete with F+ Flash to give away to a very lucky reader. To win, email whenyouawakela at gmail dot com (subject: LomoAmigo), tell me who I’m going to be doing a film swap with in the coming months (yes, I am making you read my interview) and send me a link (or attachment as long as it’s not TOO big) to your favorite portrait of a musician. Try to surprise me with something rare or less well known (no Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire or Janis sitting on a VW please). Please include your full name and mailing address. One winner will be chosen and contacted. Contest ends Wednesday, October 26th. Get those entries in now!
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We are giving away two (2) pairs of tickets to see the The Low Anthem on Wednesday, October 5th at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. The show is all ages with San Francisco’s Sleepy Sun supporting. To win tix, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject:The Low Anthem) and tell us your personal anthem is. Include your first and last name in the email. Two winners will be picked and contacted.
http://www.vimeo.com/23131117The Low Anthem – Love And Altar
We are giving away one (1) pair of tickets to see When You Awake-favorite Justin Townes Earle on Wednesday, September 28th at the Music Box in Los Angeles. The show is all ages with ex-Drive By Truckers frontman Jason Isbell and the very talented Caitlin Rose supporting. To win tix, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Justin Townes Earle) and tell us your favorite song about Tennessee in honor of Earle and Rose’s home state. Include your first and last name in the email. One winner will be chosen and contacted.
MP3: Justin Townes Earle- Harlem River Blues (buy)
MP3: Caitlin Rose-Own Side (buy)
Justin Townes Earle- Harlem River Blues
We are giving away two (2) pairs of tickets to see Chatham County Line live on Tuesday, September 6th at The Echo. I first saw these boys at the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival in Bristol, Tennessee a couple of years back. I heard some of their harmonies drifting out across the festival and literally went on a mission to find where those sweet sounds were coming from. I was so impressed that the minute the set ended, I went out, bought their record, and listened to it all the way back to Nashville. Highly recommended if you want to feel that good ol’ country comfort in your bones. The show is 18+ with Los Angeles-favorites Hi Ho Silver Oh supporting. To win tix, e-mail whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Chatham County Line) and tell us your favorite “end of summer song” (to be interpreted as you see fit). Include your first and last name in the email. Two winners will be chosen and contacted.
Chatham County Line- Country Boy, City Boy