Starting today we're going to begin announcing each of the artists we're lucky enough to have supporting our cause and performing at the Listener Approved Launch Party taking place at The Mohawk in Austin, TX on March 9th to commemorate the public unveiling of The Sound of Eternal Revolution, ListenerApproved.com - and to also kickoff this years South by Southwest festivities!

We're extremely excited to announce this first artist as he and his musical creations have been a source of inspiration to all of us at Listener Approved throughout the entire development process of the application, who's sheer creativity has molded him into one of my favorite composers. The extraordinarily talented up and coming string sorcerer, music producer, and guitar instructor partly based out of Colorado by way of Brooklyn, New York, Derek VanScoten known to many by the handle D.V.S* - will be taking the stage next Friday to show off his 'guitar soaked experimental dance beats' for any and all SXSW attendees to enjoy for FREE! No badge required!

Pushing the envelope of futuristic rhythms, D.V.S* combines his aptitude for wielding nearly any instrument containing a set of finely tuned strings along with his knack for electronic beatsmithing to produce magnificently bright, and unique melodies that feature clips of harmonious horns, beautiful vocal samples and calculated vibrations of strings. His style ascends from the sounds of Swing, Salsa, Motown, Rock n' Roll, Hiphop, Bossa Nova, Afrobeat, traditional folk, and apparently even as diverse as 19th century romantic music.

While still in college working on dual degrees from the University of Colorado in Classical and Jazz Guitar Performance and Audio Production, he began teaching classes on folk and rock guitar at the university, which eventually grew to include courses on the electric bass, mandolin, banjo, and music production. After college he began instructing the Guitar Ensemble at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado all while managing to maintain an added schedule of anywhere from 20-30 private lessons a week.

As you can tell, D.V.S* doesn't ever drift too far from his passion for music - in his free time he even runs his own studio that features multiple mandolins, banjos, over a dozen different types of acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, and a plethora of various amps and effect pedals to compliment each of them.

In the decade or so he spent residing in Colorado, he began earning himself a name in the flourishing Colorado music scene filling in roles whenever needed as a guitarist, bassist, mandolinist, producer or even DJ during performances and recordings for a handful of Electronic, Hiphop, Soul, Funk, Jazz and Motown bands by the likes of Michal Menert, Big Gigantic, The Motet, Random Rab, Lotus, Bluetech, Beats Antique, Tipper, FreQnasty, MartyParty, Emancipator, Ana Sia, and EOTO.

Not only has D.V.S* been instrumental (no pun intended) throughout multiple national tours, he's also been achieving widespread national recognition while performing solo, having performed in front of thousands of onlookers at such historical venues as the ever-so-famous Red Rocks, Colorado , the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, and the Paradise Rock Club in Boston.

Be sure to check out his video above featuring his new track 'Oxygen' off his latest album 'Coming Up For Air' for a taste of things to come!

If you dig what you hear, you'll find links to download most of his previous releases for free over on his website

You can also be sure to find D.V.S* on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and soon enough on, Listener Approved!

If you're planning on being around Austin for SXSW, you won't want to miss the lineup we've got in store for your listening pleasure. Be sure to stay tuned as we'll be announcing another artist later on today who'll be performing along side D.V.S* at the Listener Approved Launch Party on March 9th at The Mohawk!

venue

FRIDAY

MARCH 9TH

THE MOHAWK

912 RED RIVER STREET

AUSTIN, TX