Fayetteville is home to a great artistic community, proof of that was the Peace From The Hills CD release party at Arsaga's on Wednesday, January 26.

Peace From The Hills is a compilation of music and poetry by local Fayetteville artists intended to help support A Ride Till The End. Continue reading and see more photos after the jump.

All photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

This was my first year with BOT. After an awesome show at the end of March, HashBrowns invited me to write a review and post a couple of the photos I took that night. I was already telling everyone that came close to me about the show, so I decided to write it out and share it with everybody else who cared to read it. That was my first step as Café Con Leche, and from there, it's just gotten better.

I didn't cover as many shows as Eggs or HashBrowns, but my number of photos reached the thousands (I published over 1200 on my flickr, and those are just the ones that made the cut. I probably took around 8,000 shots.)

I covered shows in Fayetteville, Little Rock and at Wakarusa in Ozark, AR. But I also traveled a little and covered shows in Tulsa, OK; Kansas City, MO; Dallas, TX; and Los Angeles, CA. One of my most awaited shows was the Jack Johnson concert in Santa Barbara, CA; but I didn't get a photo pass for it, so I just stood in the front row and sang along every single song.

The best part of this journey has been discovering new sounds, bands and styles that I wouldn't seek on my own. So here's to a new year full of music and more awesome photos.

Now go check out my top 10 photos and a couple of extras after the jump. Click the date to view the full review behind each photo, in case you missed it.

Words by Anna "HashBrowns" Vernon. Photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

When I was in high school I stumbled upon John Butler through my brother. Instantly amazed by his finger-style guitar picking, I've followed him since. I have never seen anyone near his skill level using this style, and watching it is alone worth the ticket price. Last summer Cafe Con Leche and I stayed to the very end of Wakarusa 2010, and the show was like one of the swelling hot air balloons floating around, bursting into sunshine. Each time I see him, it amplifies a different chord of my life. I always come away with a new perspective, a rediscovered ideal.

JBT started off with "Used To Get High". It was instantly infectious, and had the crowd singing by the end. The show at Wakarusa felt more reggae - partially because of the artists leading up, partially because it's hard to contain sound in a field on a mountain. No complaints at all - but the House of Blues show had clarity and a rock sound that matches the latest album, April Uprising. The sound difference was most evident when Byron Luitors (bass) brought out the didgeridoo on "Treat Yo Mama" which had a slow, effervescent build that filled the room. Butler brings out a lap steel for this song, where the breaks are like a sighing moan that escape into hope.

Read the rest of the review and see more photos after the jump.

Words and Photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

Danielle Ate The Sandwich was one of the acoustic acts featured at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, Oct. 11. That night I suffered what we'll call acoustic O.D. and I had to make a run for my sanity after I had a bit too much of a good thing with the act after Danielle Ate The Sandwich (DATS). To be fair, I won't mention that band's name, since they were not the act I was there to review. But they were horrible.

Continue reading about the good set of the night after the jump.

Words and Photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

With fresh new material, a lot of energy, and a growing fan base, Michael Franti & Spearhead are making the most of the moment. On Friday, Oct. 1, Franti & Spearhead had their first show in Little Rock, AR at The Village.

Franti & Spearhead really know how to put on a show. The venue wasn't completely full, but it felt like it after the show started out with "Love Don't Wait," from the band's latest studio production, The Sound of Sunshine. Continue reading after the jump.

Words and Photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

On Sunday, Sept. 26, Umphrey's McGee played a sold out show at George's Majestic Lounge. An hour into the show, and there were still some people outside hoping to get tickets to get in.

I got great photos that night. Continue after the jump for the rest of the write-up, photos and info on their new material.

Words and Photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

On Sept. 23, O.A.R. came to Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa to fill a Thursday night with great music. After The Dirty Heads opened for the night, there was an easy mood at Cain's. But as soon as O.A.R. hit the stage, it started, the greatest sing-along I've witnessed so far. Everyone in the crowd knew all the lyrics to the songs that rocked Cain's that night. And I wasn't expecting anything less. O.A.R. is one of those bands that you just have to see live, because the sing-along experience is part of what makes them so great.

Check out the rest of the review and see the photos of the night after the jump.

Words and Photos by B "Café con Leche" Gutierrez.

When I heard that O.A.R. was playing at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, I thought it was a show worth the couple-hour drive. But it was after finding out The Dirty Heads were the support act, when it all came together. This was a winner combination for a show.

The reggae-rock band from Huntington Beach, CA has been playing music for a while. But it wasn't until 2008, when they released their debut album Any Port In a Storm.

Their opening set for O.A.R. gave the night a great start with their sea-salty, fun tunes. They sang "Neighborhood," "Generation," "Check the Level," "Stand Tall," "Lay Me Down," and one of my personal favorites, "Believe."

The guys were comfortable on stage when playing music or just interacting with the crowd. Jokes from living so much time on the road came up, like incidents of losing bets and red leather vests bought at a truck stop.

If you get a chance to catch The Dirty Heads live, do so. They're on the road this Fall and I hear they're coming to Houston on Oct. 28 with Sublime With Rome.

I got great shots that night. Check them out after the jump. And stay tuned for the O.A.R. review later today.

Northwest Arkansas

Tuesday Oct 5: Charlie Musselwhite @ George's Majestic Lounge
8pm and it's FREE.
Show sponsored by The Ozark Blues Society.

Thursday Oct 7: Portugal. The Man @ George's Majestic Lounge
9pm and tickets are $15.

Dallas

Tuesday Sept 28: Jenny and Johnny w/Eternal Summers and Whispertown @ Granada
8pm. Doors at 7pm.
Get tickets here for $16.

Tuesday Sept 28: Ratatat w/Bobby Birdman @ Palladium
8pm.
Get tickets here for $27 with fees.

Wednesday Sept 29: CocoRosie w/Sleep Whale and New Fumes @ Granada
8pm. Doors at 7pm.
Get tickets here for $18.

Thursday Sept 30: Michael Franti and Spearhead @ House of Blues
9pm. Doors at 8pm.
Get tickets here starting at $27 ($23 for a 4/pack).

Saturday Oct 2: Ishi and Black Tie Dynasty @ Granada
8pm. Doors at 7pm.
Get tickets here for $10.

Northwest Arkansas | Little Rock

Monday Sept 27: Shwayze @ Chi Omega Greak Theater, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Show starts at 9pm and it's FREE.

Wednesday Sept 29: Citizen Cope @ George’s Majestic Lounge, Fayetteville, AR.
Starts at 8pm and tickets are $25.

Friday Oct 1: Michael Franti & Spearhead @ The Village, Little Rock, AR.
Starts at 9:00pm. Doors open at 8pm.
Tickets are $25 in advance, $28 at the door.

Saturday Oct 2: The Black Crowes @ The AMP, Fayetteville, AR.
Starts at 8pm. Doors open at 7pm.
Tickets go from $20-$100.