Yes, as we’ve discovered, there is a Zen likeless between the live concert experience and flipping through the vinyl at your favorite record shop.

And after this year’s Record Store Day I certainly achieved my vinyl nirvana with other live music fans at Reckless Records.

Here’s a snapshot of the bounty I scored on RSD 2012 (Clockwise):

Iggy and the Stooges – Raw Power

Tegan and Sara – Get Along (Live)

The Civil Wars – Live at Amoeba

Buddy Guy – This Is Buddy Guy (Live)

Shabazz Palaces – Live at KEXP

I’ve been working my way through each album and digging every second. But I’m holding off on opening a few of these albums for a special reason because, you know, we love contests.

Live Fix Blog Comment Giveaway

Yep, we want to share the RSD fun with you so we’re celebrating with a couple Live Fix Fan giveaways.

The first one will be happening right here on Live Fix in the comments below.

Prize #1: Record Store Day prize package

During my visit to Rediscover Records, Rich was kind enough to offer up a RSD compliation CD, Tedeschi Trucks Band “Revelator” Live EP, and a Sub Pop Mixed Nuts sampler that includes tracks from Beach House and others.

Prize #2: The Civil Wars – Live at Amoeba

We’re excited to give these two prizes away as they’re both an excellent collection of live and studio tracks.

And all you have to do is drop a comment below that includes either your favorite local record shop, RSD experience, or your most memorable concert.

We’ll pick two lucky winners at random, contact you via email and send you the winnings via mail.

The comment contest starts today Monday May 7th and ends on Friday May 11th Wednesday May 16th at 11:59pm. You must provide your email in your comment and you can only enter once. Any duplicates will be thrown out. We’ll announce the winners on Sunday May 13th.

Live Fix Facebook Giveaway: Win Raw Power, Get Along

Then later this week on our Live Fix Facebook page, we’ll be giving away the Iggy and The Stooges “Raw Power” and the Tegan & Sara “Get Along” albums.

In order to win these fine albums, you’ll need to become a fan of our page, by “Liking” us, and then when you see the Raw Power, Tegan & Sara update post later this week, you’ll need to click “Like” or comment on that specific post and we’ll pick two lucky random winners from that post.

Good luck and we look forward to hearing about your favorite RSD and concert adventures and featuring them on a future episode of Live Fix Radio.

Continuing our exploration of concert fan contests for your live music enjoyment, here’s a quick note for those of you looking to win a VIP trip to Bonnaroo and possibly Lollaplooza or Bumpershoot.

This is a fun little contest, sponsored by State Farm Nation, that I found while scoping out the live Coachella stream on Youtube.

Play on State Farm’s Facebook page, It’s a game of classic mix & match for concert fans that’s fun to play, and if you successfully match them you get entered into the sweepstakes.

It’s pretty basic and they could’ve made it a bit more interesting and included more classic fan moments, concert emotions, or more unique characters like Dancing Guys to match up instead of the basic ones like a ferris wheel,  sun tan lotion and a weird lady with a straw hat.

That said, this is the first insurance company I’ve seen sponsor live music contest and it’s got me thinking about where State Farm would rank among our recent brand explorations.

I’ve played and entered. And we’d love to know if you win, or if you’re heading out to any summer music festivals this year and we’ll share your story on future episode of Live Fix Radio.

Continuing our exploration of Mastodon’s thunderous live show, here’s a chance to win free tickets to their upcoming US co-headlining tour with Opeth and special guests Ghost.

To enter to win a pair of tickets in the city closest to you visit heritagehunter.warnerreprise.com. Full tour info is below.

Good luck and let us know how the show goes. And like we told you before in our previous experiments and heavy metal podcast, Mastodon is an amazing band to experience live and we invite you to share your favorite Mastodon concert stories.

Go ahead and drop a comment below or connect with us on Twitter @livefixmedia, Facebook , Google Plus, or call the concert fan hotline at 773-609-4341, and we’ll include them in a future episode of Live Fix Radio.

Tour dates:
(M) Indicates Mastodon closes the show
(O) Indicates Opeth closes the show

04/04 Portland, ME State Theater (M)
04/05 Boston, MA Orpheum Theater (O)
04/06 Montreal, QC Metropolis (O)
04/07 Toronto, ON Sony Centre (O)
04/09 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory(M)
04/10 Wallingford, CT The Dome (M)
04/11 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom (M)
04/13 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre(M)
04/14 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection (M)
04/15 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE (M)
04/16 Knoxville, TN TN Theater (O)
04/18 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom (M)
04/19 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom (O)
04/20 San Antonio, TX Back Stage Live (O)
04/21 Corpus Christi, TX Concrete Street (O)
04/23 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium (O)
04/25 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues (M)
04/26 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre (O)
04/27 Oakland, CA Fox Theatre (O)
04/28 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort (M)
04/30 Seattle, WA The Paramount (O)
05/01 Vancouver, BC Orpheum Theatre (O)
05/03 Edmonton, AB Edmonton Events Center (O)
05/04 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall (M)
05/05 Saskatoon, SK The Odeon (O)
05/06 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre (O)
05/09 Washington, DC The Fillmore (O)
05/10 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore (M)
05/11 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues (M)
05/12 Atlanta, GA Masquerade Music Park (M)

Back when we had the pleasure of discovering how Perez Hilton throws a Pre-Lollapalooza party in Chicago, I started to wonder what goes through the mind and heart of Mr. Lavandeira during a concert.

Well, now you might be able to ask him yourself and let us know what he says because he’s teaming up with Lean Pockets’ “Live Famously” sweepstakes to give fans a chance to win a prize package that includes a special VIP concert experience.

Here’s the details of what you, and a friend, can win for the grand prize.

• luxury hotel stay
• private car service to and from the airport
• $1,000 reward card for whatever they want
• $250 spa card
• special concert experience with well-known celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.

We’re also told that ” you can win thousands of daily prizes, such as retail gift cards for stylish clothing brands, department stores and online shopping.”

Here are the two ways to get your sweepstakes code:

1. During the promotion period, visit a LEAN POCKETS® brand retailer and purchase a specially marked package of LEAN POCKETS® brand Stuffed Sandwiches with the Live Famously logo on it.

2. To enter without making a purchase, obtain a code on the “Live Famously Sweepstakes” Tab on the LEAN POCKETS® brand Facebook Page.

 Is This Contest For the Fans?

As we continue to experiment with and see how brands use the live music experience to engage fans, we’ll keep an eye on this Lean Pockets contest to see how it goes and what you, the fans, think of it.

Go ahead and post your comments below, on Twitter @livefixmedia, on Facebook or call the concert fan hotline at 773-609-4341, and we’ll include them in a future episode of Live Fix Radio.

We’ll also be sharing other concert contests in 2012 so stay tuned for more!

Continuing our exploration of concert contests and how brands are engaging fans, we wanted to pass along info about Fuse and XFINITY coming together to give you a chance to win a full day and night of enjoyment in New York City!

According to the contest details, one lucky winner will win:

• A trip to New York City along with pair of tickets to the concert of their choice at a Madison Square Garden venue
• A music prize pack including an MP3 player and headphones
• A gift certificate to download your favorite music
• And a pair of tickets to enjoy a night on the town at any local New York City museum or attraction!

When chilling out at home I’ve enjoyed watching several of the live shows on Fuse, so it’s good to see them giving local Chicago fans a chance to win a trip to catch a show in the Big Apple.

The contest also features Chicago band Kill Hannah but, unfortunately, this sweeps contest is limited to locals and is only open to residents of Illinois.

The entry deadline is December 26th and you can enter by heading over to fusemycity.com to fill out the quick registration form!

Stay tuned for more as the “My City. My Music.” contest unfolds and we talk with the winning fans and the contest sponsors on a future episode of Live Fix Radio.

During our chat with 14 year-old singer-songwriter Kate Diaz she told us how her time at the Berklee College of Music, which included playing Lollapalooza for the first time, was an inspiring moment in her young musical career.

And now until March, the Berklee College of Music will be hosting auditions for 2012′s scholarship contest in Chicago and in other cities as part of their world tour. Here’s more info on the Lollapalooza scholarship:

The college hopes the Berklee Lollapalooza Scholarship – a four-year, full tuition award – will attract a caliber of artist who might one day play the festival. A student who is not only a talented musician, but also a complete artist with a unique sound, charisma, and energy.

The application deadline for Fall 2012 is January 15. The first recipient will be chosen in March and announced at Lollapalooza 2012. As part of the partnership, a Berklee student artist will also be selected to perform at next year’s festival.

Good luck to everyone who’s auditions and let us know how your experience goes and we’ll share your story on a future episode of Live Fix Radio!

We all know that road trips are a big part of the live concert experience.  And last summer we explored how good things come in three’s when combing the Honda Civic Tour, live music and concert fans.

And this summer Honda is at it again as they get ready to kick off the 2011 Honda Civic Tour (HCT) featuring blink-182 and My Chemical Romance with a 10th anniversary celebration highlighted by three exciting “fan participation opportunities.”

That said, we’re excited to share the contest details with you!

Beginning on June 15th, and during the tour that kicks off on August 5th, fans can enter to win major prizes including:

• An exclusive fly-away to Los Angeles that includes two signed guitars, front-row seats, and a meet and greet with both bands at the world famous Hollywood Bowl.
• One-of-a-kind Honda Civics that have been customized and autographed by the headlining bands, at each stop of the 40-date tour beginning on August 5th.

Honda Civic Tour Lineup

Joining blink-182 and My Chemical Romance for dates on the anniversary tour are Manchester Orchestra, Rancid and Matt & Kim.

Get more contest information and entry details at www.HondaCivicTour.com.

Get the Honda Mobile App

Yes, there’s a mobile app too.  And you can download the free (iPhone, iPod Touch, Android) Honda Civic Tour app here.

“Band in a Bowl” Sweepstakes

In addition to the above prizes, fans may also enter the 2011 Honda Civic Tour blink-182 and My Chemical Romance Hollywood Bowl Sweepstakes, which runs from June 15 through October 31.

The Grand Prize includes:

• Two roundtrip airfare tickets to Los Angeles
• Two nights of deluxe hotel accommodations
• Attendance at the bands’ soundcheck
• Two front row seats to the HCT blink-182 My Chemical Romance concert at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, October 8th
• A meet and greet with the band members
• And two autographed blink-182 and My Chemical romance guitars.

The First Prize features a $500 gift card to Loserkids.com, an online retailer of action sports and music influenced brands such as Famous Stars & Straps, Macbeth Footwear and Hurley; while ten runners-up will win drumheads autographed by the two bands.

Good luck, and as always, tell us about your favorite Honda Civic Tour concert experiences so we can feature them on a future episode of Live Fix Radio!

Lollapalooza is celebrating 20 years by asking fans to submit their concert stories to win a free trip to Lollapalooza 2011 in Chicago in August.

And judging by the fan stories that have already been submitted, this contest is a very special experience filled with thousands of great memories and millions of concert fans emotions.

As I cruise through the stories that have been posted thus far, one of my favorite stories was posted by Jennifer Duron. She shares a great tale of traveling with 15 friends as a teenager to see Lolla ’92 just outside of Houston, Texas.

And there’s more stories, a whole lot more — all the way up to last year’s 2011. It’s great to read these stories knowing that thousands of fans are going back in time to celebrate how the Lollapalooza experience has impacted their lives.

Reading all these stories definitely made me think of our favorite Lolla experiences over the years seeing Kanye West, Radiohead, Arcade Fire and Lady Gaga.

And it makes me wonder if we’re heading towards a better Lollapalooza experience or not.

It makes me wonder if Perry Farrell and company are really pushing the boundaries of the fan experience, or just raising the ticket prices and adding more bands to the bill? Is the festival just getting bigger and not better?

Does an crowd-sourced mobile experience like HackLolla, make for an improved fan experience?

And as I dive deeper in the fan stories and the cool interactive time capsule, I’ve also been wondering…

How has the Lolla fan changed over the years?

Do fans expect less or more during the experience?

Will fans ever push back and demand more from the festival?

Is the Lolla experience in 2011 giving us a glimpse into the future of the concert experience?

If it is, then what is the biggest difference between the first Lolla and last year’s festival?

If you want to win your way to Lolla, you still have time. The deadline to submit your Lollapalooza story is next Tuesday June 21 and you can enter here.

Go ahead and tell us what you think of Lolla’s 20 year history. And share with us your favorite Lollapalooza concert story in the comment below.

Continuing our series on cool contests for concert fans, here’s news about the Foo Fighters giving fans the chance to have the band play in your garage and rock out with tracks from their new album Wasting Light.

This contest is a no-brainer since the album was recorded in a garage. And besides that, it’s a fun way of merging the recording process of the Foo Fighters new album with the live concert experience thus making the whole experience ultra intimate and unique.

How Do You Enter?

All you have to do is take a picture of your garage and in 25 words or less explain why the Foo Fighters should play in your garage.

The winners get a signed copy of Wasting Light and you get to invite 50 of your closest friends and family to the garage gig. The winners will be selected from fans in or around New York, Chicago, Dallas/Fort-Worth, Toronto, Seattle, Tacoma, Washington D.C., Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Atlanta.

This contest also reminds me of our previous exploration when we wondered about Crowd Surfing with Dave Grohl, the personal feeling of house concerts and Blogoteque’s redefining of the concert location.

When you’re done wondering about that stuff, go ahead and enter the contest and be sure to check out the concert sweepstakes where you can win VIP tickets to the forthcoming Foo Fighters tour.

The contest is presented by Blackberry and so far, aside from the garage picture being taken with a Blackberry phone, I don’t see any interesting or specific brand or mobile element being used to enhance to the garage gig contest. But, as always, we’ll keep an eye out for news about that type of stuff.

If you plan on entering the garage contest or have a fun Foo Fighters concert story? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.

Vote To See “Back and Forth” in Your City

We heard lots of buzz at SXSW 2011 about the new Foo Fighters documentary “Back and Forth” that chronicles the making of Wasting Light. And now you can visit www.foofighters.cinedigm.com to vote for your local theater to host a screening of the film, which includes a live performance by the Foo Fighters at the end of the screening. A trailer of the film is below.

Continuing our series on concert fan contests, here’s news about how Pitchfork Media and DonQ Rum have teamed up to test your indie-rock and pop music knowledge, and see how well you can write a concert review, all for a chance to win spirits and stuff!

I was cruising around Pitchfork’s site recently and was drawn in by an enticing ad to test my indie rock knowledge and my ability to write about my favorite concert experience.

I was unable to deny the urge and curiosity, so I clicked on the ad and dove in.

I got several answers right (without going to the Pitchfork site or going to Google for answers I might add, so so proud of myself) as I unlocked the first three levels.

I’m not that into drinking rum, but nonetheless I had a great time escaping into the game’s fun music trivia pop-quiz diversion.

And what was most exciting was that after I unlocked various stages answering questions about The Arcade Fire, LCD Sound System and others,  I was presented with the opportunity to write about my favorite concert experience (as noted below), and then click submit for the judges to rate my concert review.

Like many advertisements and interactive experiences, this one is engaging and fun to play, but it doesn’t make me want to go buy DonQ rum.  It’s not as cool as AXE’s or Scion‘s contest, but it still does do a decent job associating the thrill of live music and obsessiveness of  indie-rock fans with the DonQ brand.

So maybe the next time you’re thirsty for a swig of rum at Pitchfork 2011 or you’re looking for a satisfying spirit at your next concert, you’ll toss back some DonQ.

Or maybe this contest will get you to think twice about the connection between your taste buds and your last concert experience.

So if you’re a fan of DonQ rum or not, I think you’ll have fun playing the game and putting your love of indie-rock and pop music to the test.

If you play the game and submit your favorite concert moment, let us know what you think of the game. Go try it out, see what you can win, and drop a comment about your experience below.