Alice Tong album release party, Gyasi Ross, Andrew Chiang and the Blazing Rays of the Sun, DJ: +he op+imis+ May 29, 2010

Hotel Utah, 5/29/2010, CD Release Party — As a social worker, Alice Tong has provided therapy to survivors of domestic violence, rape, shootings, and stabbings. This intense direct service work has informed her development as a musician, and can be heard both in the depth of her lyrics and the sincerity of her performances. Receiving her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University, and her Bachelors of Arts in Ethnomusicology (World Music) from UCLA, Alice has used her strengths in both disciplines to co-produce an all-original indie folk rock album with Los Angeles producer/engineer Glenn Suravech. Mr. Suravech has worked with artists such as Ben Harper, Bob Dylan, and Brett Dennen. On this new album, Alice performs as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist on each song, and is backed by a host of extremely talented LA and Bay Area musicians. "Please Be Brave Before the Lions They Come," is set to be released Sat. May 29, 9pm at San Francisco’s premiere singer-songwriter venue, Hotel Utah. Pre-sale tickets available for $10 at: http://tiny.cc/bgp9x.

Opening acts will include local talent Gyasi Ross (www.gyasiross.com), who combines hip-hop, folk, and jazz; along with L.A. favorites Andrew Figueroa Chiang and the Blazing Rays of the Sun (www.andrewandthebrots.com), whose set includes soul-driven R&B and folk sounds; as well as DJ: +he Op+imist+ spinning on the decks.

Official CD release party and tour sponsors include Hyphen Magazine (www.hyphenmagazine.com), Channel APA (ww.channelapa.com), Taiwaneseamerican.org (www.taiwaneseamerican.org), Rama (www.gostudiorama.com), Blacklava (www.blacklava.com), and Tuesday Night Project (www.tuesdaynightproject.org). Appropriate to Memorial Day weekend and Alice's social worker roots, her CD release party will also be raising funds for Paws for Purple Hearts (http://www.berginu.org/academics/PPH.html), an innovative Bay Area non-profit program that pairs veterans who have post-war trauma symptoms with service dogs in-training, to decrease these symptoms and increase functioning, self-esteem, and parenting skills. A Paws for Purple Hearts service dog will also be attending the CD release party!

For more info and to support Alice's West Coast Tour with her band, visit: http://kck.st/cXdbFN