Zac Brown Band - "Chicken Fried" [Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]

We had the Zac Brown Band swing by the Smoking Section to play us a tune or two, but we were all having so much fun, the guys decided to give us an extended performance -- five songs!

The Zac Brown Band, hailing from Atlanta, is Zac Brown on guitar and vocals, Jimmy De Martini on violin and vocals, John Hopkins on bass and vocals, Coy Bowles on guitar, multi-instrumentalist Clay Cook and Chris Fryar on drums.

And these Georgia boys know how to put on a show, given that play about 200 gigs a year. They've been nominated by the Academy of Country Music as Top New Artist (you can vote for them here). Country radio has them in constant rotation. 

"We're a live performing band," Brown tells us. "We never expected radio success to take off the way it has, but it's really helped us fill rooms in places we'd never been. We're selling out places we've never played. That's the type of opportunity we want as a live band."

Check out their single, "Chicken Fried," above, and click the jump for "Highway 20 Ride," a super-speedy cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," the feel-good beach tune "Toes" and "Whatever It Is."   

UPDATE: Love the Zac Brown Band? Send us an email telling us why! The best response wins an autographed limited edition poster, a signed photograph and a copy of their album, The Foundation. Deadline is April 10th!

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Check out the new Dylan track, called "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'," from his April 28th release, Together Through Life.

You can also download the tune for free on Bob's website.  

What do ya think?

Bob Dylan - "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'"

Last year we attended the All Points West festival in Liberty Park, New Jersey, and let us sum it up with a two-word review: "Shit sandwich."

The biggest problems were A) the fact that it took hours to get a goddamn beer because of ridiculous security precautions and, B) the fact that it took hours to get a goddamn beer.

That said, the A.P.W. fest is back this year, and festival producers Goldenvoice (who also stage Coachella) promise that there will be larger concessions, and that the beer gardens will be relocated so that you can actually see bands while you're in there.

Confirmed acts include: The Beastie Boys, Tool and Coldplay, who will serve as headliners at APW, held between July 31st through August 2nd. Also, MGMT, My Bloody Valentine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fleet Foxes, the Black Keys, Heartless Bastards, the Ting Tings, Neko Case, Vampire Weekend, the National and plenty more. 

Sounds pretty good.

For more info on All Points West, check out their website.

British gossip rag the Sun is reporting that super-producer Mark Ronson has been persuaded to once again hit the studio with Amy Winehouse. Ronson is, of course, the man behind Winehouse's stellar Back to Black, but things went sour when the pair tried to record a James Bond theme song last year. 

He apparently canceled the project due to Winehouse's drug problem, saying the singer just "wasn't ready" to record. Now, Winehouse seems to have cleaned up just a wee bit and Ronson is ready to saddle up and give it another go.

We texted Ronson and here's what he had to say when we asked about working again with Wino:

"Maybe... Trying. Working with Duran Duran right now. It sounds fucking amazing!"

Photo: Livingston/Getty

We brought you the goodness from Black Keys singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach. Now check out a new track from a new band formed by the BK's drummer Patrick Carney.

Called Drummer, the new band features Carney (on bass), Jon Finley from Beaten Awake (guitar/vox), Steve Clements from Houseguest (keys), Jamie Stillman from Party of Helicopters (guitar) and Greg Boyd from Ghostman and Sandman (drums) 

They are into an album that they hope to release in the fall on Carney's label, Audio Eagle, and they'll tour as well. As of now, they've got a couple gigs booked in Ohio in May. 

Check out the first track they ever made, "Diamonds to Shake." 

Head over to their myspace for more info. 

Drummer - "Diamonds to Shake"

Fuck, yeah!

We are so lucky to have so many bad-ass mofos drop by the S.S. to play for us, and for you.

We were especially stoked when Black Keys’ singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach graced us with his presence, while on a recent tour supporting his unbelievably awesome solo debut, Keep It Hid. (We can’t stop playing it, top to bottom.)

Not only did Dan stop by, but he also brought his backing band, including My Morning Jacket’s monster drummer Patrick Hallahan, and one of our favorite young bands, Hacienda.

Dig “Mean Monsoon” and “When the Night Comes,” below. 

Click here for more on Keep It Hid!

It's a beautiful thing!

Dan Auerbach - “Mean Monsoon”

 [Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden] 

Dan Auerbach - “When the Night Comes”

[Video: Pete Maiden/Eric Helton; Editing by Pete Maiden]  

We just got turned on to this killer Stevie Wonder board tape from a gig at the Rainbow Theater in London on January 31st, 1974.