Lubbock Rocks! KFMX Birthday Bash features big names, including Saliva, Puddle of Mudd and Buckcherry

I've spent a little time in Lubbock and I know from experience - there's usually not much to do. April 19th will certainly be an exception though, with performances from Buckcherry, Scott Weiland, Puddle of Mudd, Powerman 5000, Saliva, The Virgin Mary's and The Hunger.

Ticket prices are very reasonable - $38.75 for general admission (get tickets here)- so I expect it will get a good turnout IF they will just promote this thing properly! With names like this, they could easily attract attendance from far outside Lubbock, but only if people know about it.

Once again, I am underwhelmed by the promotion of a Texas music event. KFMX should be blasting this all over the internet. I went to their home page and there's NOTHING there! There is a small link that says "birthday bash" which takes you to this page : kfmx.com/buckcherry-to-headline-the-33rd-fmx-birthday-bash-video/, and the page isn't too bad, it's just not promoted well. This should be HUGE news for Lubbock, and should be featured front and center on the radio station's home page.

Granted, it's not near as bad as the Mazda event.. um, excuse me, the Tall City Blues Fest I mentioned in another post, but with these big names I can't believe they're not promoting it better.

Regardless, it's a great show, the timing is good for a rock show (the eve of 420), and I wish them great success. If anyone in the Lubbock area knows more about this event and if it is being promoted better locally, please let me know in the comments!

A Lesson For Small Town Music Festivals

Who knew Midland had their own music festival? I stumbled onto the Tall City Blues Fest website quite by accident and was immediately intrigued.

Unfortunately, the website is woefully lacking in information. Lots of info about their sponsors, almost no info about the music. While I wish them great success - I love seeing smaller towns develop a successful music festival - I don't see it unless they change their ways.

Let their website be a lesson to other towns wanting to develop a successful music festival. Yeah, sponsors are important, but the website for a music festival should feature music. Is this really such a hard concept to grasp?

The Tall City Blues Fest website, www.tallcitybluesfest.com, starts on the home page with links to news, info, and sponsorships. I found last year's lineup from the News link (Chris Duarte headlined) and a few pathetic press releases that focused more on workshops offered at a nearby college than on the music. This was getting depressing.

Finally I found a videos link (see for yourself here www.tallcitybluesfest.com/videos/ and guess what I found? Three videos of Lisa Grissom (I guess she's the festival organizer?) either sitting on a Mazda and talking about the festival, or being interviewed by a Mazda dealership manager about the festival. (Guess who is the main sponsor of the event?) Oh, and almost as an afterthought, a single lonely video of the music from the pre-VIP party in 2012. One video of music!!

No pictures of past events, no other videos of past events, no interviews with past performers - what the heck?

Sorry Lisa Grissom, but you've only convinced me to come to this year's event if I'm interested in looking at a Mazda. Good luck with your festival, and my sympathies go out to any bands who play there. Unless you're singing songs about Mazda, don't expect any free press for your band.

Free Press Summer Festival - Houston, May 31 - June 1

Lots of Texas festivals to choose from, so what's so great about this one?

For starters, this year's headliners include Jack White, Vampire Weekend, and Deftones. For some reason, Cage the Elephant is listed in a smaller font with the rest of the bands on the festival's website - I would used the bigger font. Whatever.

Dozens of other bands round out the musical festivities, but this festival is also about art, just not the "usual" type. The FPSF celebrates "interactive" art - from benches and bridges, to a see-saw that looks like a giant mustache giving "free mustache rides".

Over 80,000 people are expected to attend this year, making it one of Texas' largest festivals.

More info can be found at the festival's official website fpsf.com and tickets can be purchased at fpsf.frontgatetickets.com.

South By So What Festival - March 14-16, Grand Prairie, TX

This annual festival started 7 years ago as a small way for DFW to get a taste of South By Southwest bands, but this year they're really blowing it out with big names and expecting a big draw.

The festival is scheduled for March 14-16, 2014 in Grand Prairie, Texas.

This year's lineup includes headliners Taking Back Sunday and The Used.

Full line-up can be found here www.southbysowhat.com/home/2014-line-up/.

Single day tickets are $45 for Friday or Sunday, $55 for Saturday.

Three day passes are available in several packages, ranging from General Admission for $120 to the Elite VIP Package for $320. They say the Elite VIP Packages are nearly sold out, so if you want yours get it now!

Tickets can be purchased here : www.southbysowhat.com/home/tickets/