Cedar Rapids, IA- On Thursday, July 26, 2012 the community of Cedar Rapids and the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa™ will host Counting Crows in concert.

Registered RAGBRAI riders will receive free admission to this concert and special event celebrating 40 years of Iowa, in downtown Cedar Rapids. Residents of Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities are invited to attend this special evening and tickets will go on sale mid-April. Watch www.cedarrapisdragbrai.com and www.ragbrai.com for details.

"We are excited to celebrate 40 years with Iowans and the communities of Iowa who are the true backbone of this ride," said T.J. Juskiewicz, RAGBRAI Director. "We look forward to working with the community of Cedar Rapids to host this event on July 26."

COUNTING CROWS hails from the San Francisco Bay area and consist of Adam Duritz (vocals), David Bryson (guitar), Charles Gillingham (keyboards), Dan Vickrey (guitar), Jim Bogios (drums), and Millard Powers (bass). COUNTING CROWS success dates back to their 1993 debut release August and Everything After and the hit single "Mr. Jones." The band recently hit #1 with the song "Accidentally In Love," which was featured on the Shrek 2 soundtrack, as well as nominations in 2005 for a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for the track. COUNTING CROWS has sold over 20 million records worldwide. Counting Crows are releasing a new album Underwater Sunshine in April.

Des Moines Register Media owns and produces RAGBRAI, a trek across Iowa that's the world's oldest, largest and longest annual bicycle ride. RAGBRAI riders will overnight in Sioux Center, Cherokee, Lake View, Webster City, Marshalltown, Cedar Rapids, Anamosa and Clinton this year.

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Funktion
Rock Island Brewing Company (RIBCO) (1815 Second Ave., Rock Island, IL)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Price: FREE
Age: 21+
Doors: 7pm
Show: 8pm

Funktion takes kinetic live performances, 'fireball of funk' on the road across country

Seven-member band Funktion is a funk-making machine. The band's kinetic live performances are fueled by a densely layered, harmonic funk-rock music with an upbeat, dance-inducing rhythmic groove including hints of hip-hop and jazz. No form of the funk genre is off limits, whether it's a smooth R&B vibe, cool island dub rhythms, rowdy hip-hop or its own unique, unhinged, guitar-fueled fireball of funk.

When it comes right down to it, however, the band's multifaceted sounds are simply dance music. The band's main intention is to get people up and grooving on the dance floor.

The band's sound includes smooth brass grooves with percussive vocals and hip-hop themes intertwined with retro funk bass lines, but it's energy and vibe also create a type of venue-wide positive energy. Funktion members say there's also positive energy when they are just hanging out or on the road and it translates on stage through the music straight to the audience.

Funktion's music, groove and vibe is ultimately shaped by all the musical elements that influences its members. These influences include the great funk and groove artists from the past and present including everyone from James Brown, Parliament, Herbie Hancock and Sly and the Family Stone to The Roots, Maceo Parker, 311 and Soulive.

"We've got seven guys whose passion is to play music," percussionist Jeremy Reisig said. "The reason we want to get it out there at a high level is that we love playing music with each other. We love messing around and we love that energy on stage."

The act, in May 2011, released its "Step Into It" album to high acclaim. It features the band at its best in the studio and features several special guests on horns and vocals. Ultimately, however, the band must be seen live to fully understand its impact and talent for extended cross-genre improvisations.

FUNKTION:
Andrew Schrock (Lead Vocals)
Terrence Massey (Trumpet, Vocals)
Hugh Little (Keyboards, Vocals)
Nate Heymoss (Guitar)
Neal Conway (Bass)
Sean Reisig (Drums)
Jeremy Reisig (Percussion, Flows)

ONLINE:
• www.funktionmusic.com/
• www.facebook.com/Funktionkzoo
• www.youtube.com/user/funktionkalamazoo
• www.reverbnation.com/funktionkalamazoo

MUSIC:
• music.funktionmusic.com/

VIDEO:
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLXoHkyshA
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=v38QrCKZ9WA&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AV4oVf-d_DwKDu2ifMFiHNfVIkfSzU5JVM
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=34vNBa6SSbU
• www.archive.org/details/WyceJammiesXiFunktion

Nashville, TN, USA - March 12, 2012 - Due to overwhelming demand, the inaugural Unsigned Only Music Competition has extended its deadline to enter until April 11, 2012. Designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major record label, Unsigned Only's goal is to find an outstanding, talented performing artist: a band, singer, or solo artist...a newcomer or veteran...raw or polished - the "gem" that needs to be discovered. Unsigned Only is looking for the total package. Judging criteria includes vocals, performance, songwriting, and originality.

Created by the same team who founded the International Songwriting Competition (ISC), Unsigned Only offers great prizes, recognition, exposure, and the chance to be heard by a group of judges consisting of high-profile recording artists and industry professionals. It also takes it a step further, however, and offers the Grand Prize winner the unprecedented opportunity to be mentored by a group of record company presidents, A&R reps, and more. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for an artist to directly network with the top echelon of record company professionals and get guidance, advice, feedback, and networking opportunities.

The founders of Unsigned Only, Jim Morgan and Candace Avery, talk about the new venture: "We are pleased to introduce a new music competition of this caliber to artists throughout the world. Having worked with a wide variety of artists over many years, we know that what artists want most is access to record label professionals. However, it is virtually impossible for most up-and-coming artists to have direct access to this elite and elusive group of decision makers. So, Unsigned Only is offering the unprecedented opportunity for the Grand Prize winner to network with and be mentored by a prestigious group of record label executives. This has never been done before, and we are excited about the possibilities it affords the Unsigned Only winner."

The judging panel is comprised of an impressive group of recording artists, producers, and top-level music journalists. They include : Cyndi Lauper; Kenny Rogers; Angie Stone; 3 Doors Down; Charlie Daniels; Jeremy Camp; Manchester Orchestra; Craig Morgan; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kelly Clarkson; Musiq Soulchild; Aaron Shust; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); G. Love; Matt and Kim; St. Vincent; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine); Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum) and Lorraine Ali (Pop Music Editor, Los Angeles Times).

The panel of mentors who have signed on to participate is equally impressive. Included are: Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive Vice President/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, RCA Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records); Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records); Jason McArthur (VP of A&R, Provident Label Group); and Josh Bailey, SVP A&R, Word Label Group.

The Grand Prize Winner will be awarded $5,000 in cash (plus additional prizes) and one-on-one mentoring by an elite group of record company executives. First Place and Second Place winners will also be selected in each category. Entries are being accepted now until April 11, 2012.  Winners will be announced in July, 2012. Categories include : AAA (Adult Album Alternative), AC (Adult Contemporary), Christian Music, Country, Folk/Singer-Songwriter, R&B/Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop/Top 40, and Vocal Performance.

All entries must be original music except for the Vocal Performance category which accepts original or cover songs. Judging criteria in the Vocal Performance category will be based solely on the quality of the vocals, thereby allowing singers who do not write their own songs the opportunity to enter.

For more information, please contact Candace Avery at 615.251.4441 or cavery@unsignedonly.com.
For entry and general information, please go to http://www.unsignedonly.com