Darius Goes Live: Darius Weems, focal point of the much decorated 2005 documentary Darius Goes West, is on the road again as of last week. This time it's in support of his burgeoning rap career, which has gotten a nice boost courtesy of New South Entertainment. Weems undertook a year of clinical trials at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and this tour will have him visiting mostly elementary, middle and high schools with a tour finale screening of Darius Goes West to take place at Johns Hopkins on the date of his last clinical trial visit. His single, "Believe," is now available on iTunes. For the latest news and the story behind Weems and Darius Goes West, both the film and organization, please see www.dariusgoeswest.org.

Lefty Hathaway

Total Jamnation: Lefty Hathaway will release his debut album, Shacks, at the Melting Point Wednesday, May 30. If you want a preview of his jam-jazz gumbo, tune in to WUOG 90.5 FM on Tuesday, May 29 at 7 p.m. when he'll be playing the stations “Live in the Lobby” show. Local dudes Mama's Love will open the show at the Melting Point with an acoustic set. Advance tickets are available now via www.meltingpointathens.com. The first 50 people to show up will receive a free download of Shacks. If you dare, head over to www.reverbnation.com/leftyhathaway for more information.

How Soon Is Mao?: Dream poppers pacificUV jetted over to China and Taiwan last week to play shows in Hong Kong and Taipei. This is literally all the information available on these shows. I asked for more details and received none. So, you know, post pics or it didn't happen, pacificUV. In other news, the band continues to release one free song each month over at www.pacificuv.com and is slated to start recording the followup to its album, Weekends, in June. The sessions will happen at Suny Lyons' Popheart Productions studio. You can check Lyons' extensive resume over at www.popheartproductions.com.

Blue's Clues: Hunter Morris (Gift Horse) has a new band going about the business of being a new band, and it'll play its debut show Friday, June 22 at the Georgia Theatre. (Note: This is slap in the middle of AthFest and, as per AthFest's requirements, you will need a festival wristband to attend. There won't be a cash option at the door). The new group is named Blue Blood, and Morris reports that the live band is comprised of himself, Thayer Sarrano, Jeremy Wheatley, Bain Mattox and Matt Stoessel. The roots of the project, though, lie in the studio recordings conducted by Morris and producer/player Hank Sullivant. The pair recorded all of Blue Blood's yet-to-be-released record mostly by themselves with Dead Confederate's Walker Howle and Hardy Morris making guest appearances. I have no real idea what Blue Blood sounds like yet but, given all this information, I can deduce something.

Happy Little Clouds: Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records launched its new streaming media page at Soundcloud.com a couple of weeks ago. Although only a few tracks from the label are posted there right now, you can expect more in the near future. Featured acts with tracks include Tunabunny, Antlered Auntlord, Woolen Kits, Sourpatch and more. In sorta related news, Gypsy Farm Records has a treasure chest of tracks available on its Soundcloud page including selections from The Humms, The Ice Creams, Ghost Lights, The Rodney Kings, Shoal Creek Stranglers and others. Why not take a day and listen to everything? Visit HHBTM's page at www.soundcloud.com/hhbtm-records and check out Gypsy Farm's collection at www.soundcloud.com/gypsy-farm-records.

Hey, All You Volunteers of America: Fresh on the heels of the digital release of new album Georgia, Werewolves has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to facilitate pressing the record on vinyl. Details can be found at www.facebook.com/athenswerewolves. The band's goal is a modest $1,500, and the campaign will run until June 2. They're hoping to have the money raised and the records pressed by the time they head out on the road that same month, the second goal being much more ambitious than the first. You can stream all of Georgia via www.werewolves.bandcamp.com. If you dig it, throw some bucks their way.