TALENTPHILADELPHIA -- Team TALENTfilter will be representin' in Philly this week at the 8th annual NON-COMMvention ...While we won't be there to spot unsigned talent, we'll be shaking hands with some of the most forward-thinking and adventurous radio programmers in the U.S. The Non-Comm guys are really the true music fans in radio and they can get away with supporting and championing up-and-coming talent...

This is where labels should be sending their A&R reps. We're going on our own dime 'cuz we know how valuable these relationships are.

Hey, that being said, we'd love to entertain conversations with labels looking to put some 'scouts-in-the-know' on the payroll -- we'll gladly sell out -- have a look at the list of acts we've featured prior to their signing (to the right, in red) -- we've done good so far, huh! Hit us up at TALENTfilter@gmail.com

UPCOMING L.A. SHOWS OF NOTE:

May 27 -- Brendan James -- Hotel Cafe
May 27, 28 -- Aushua -- House Of Blues Anaheim
May 28 -- Meiko -- Hotel Cafe
May 28 -- Sonia Leigh -- Room 5
May 29 -- Matthew Moon -- Viper Room
May 31 -- My American Heart -- Troubadour
June 1 -- Brian Van Der Ark -- Hotel Cafe
June 7 -- Medusa -- Fais Do Do
June 9 -- Aushua -- Viper Room
June 10 -- Jeremy Enigk -- Spaceland
June 12 -- Meiko -- Hotel Cafe
June 17 -- Buddy, Parson Redheads -- Boardner's
June 18 -- Jaymay -- Troubadour
June 19 -- Meiko -- Hotel Cafe
June 23 -- Rebekah LeBeau -- On The Rox
June 24 -- Mighty Six Ninety -- Troubadour
June 25 -- Astra Heights -- Viper Room
June 26 -- Meiko -- Hotel Cafe
June 30 -- Iglu & Hartly -- Viper Room

CAVES (unsigned, unpublished) -- Portland, OR quartet Caves has been around for a few years - they self-released their debut album, Get On With It, late last year. We were recently turned on to them by our friend, former KNRK Music Director Jaime Cooley (who is taking over the manager's wheel for the band). If you like your Alt-Rock sprinkled with The Clash and Wire, you'll really like Caves. Hot Hot Heat-ish, if you will. Peep the title track from Get On With It on their MySpace page (where they've got some upcoming west coast dates posted as well). Good stuff!

PEREZ HILTON PIMPS OUT TALENTFILTER ARTIST -- BOOYA! Our fellow music-loving blogger Perez Hilton has been hipped to Brendan James, an artist we've been following and rooting for since even before our first posting about him way back in June of 2007...

Yesterday, Perez posted this nice little piece on Brendan, and today he's got the #1 Folk single on iTunes and over 12,000 MySpace plays. You seriously can't deny the power of that dude's blog -- and we've gotta say - he's got some great ears!

Don't be surprised if you start reading about more TALENTfilter artists on Perez' pink pages, wink wink...

SIGNINGS AND RUMORS, RUMORS AND SIGNINGS...

Minneapolis band Camera Cant Lie signs to Atlantic Records…

'Tween TV star Miranda Cosgrove (star of Nickelodeon’s "iCarly") signs to Columbia Records…

Is the publishing derby just about closed up for L.A. rockers (and TALENTfilter faves) Five Finger Death Punch? The band, signed to The Firm in April of ‘07, has sold over 120,000 albums and is currently touring with Disturbed…

Mercy Mercedes signs with the Militia Group…

Massachusetts punkers Energy have signed with Bridge Nine…

Santa Cruz, CA Cookie Monster Rockers Decrepit Birth sign with Nuclear Blast…

Brooklyn glam-rock revivalists Semi Precious Weapons sign with Razor And Tie…

Las Vegas hardcore act Anthems signs with indie Cavity Records…

Is Interscope leading the derby for Eli “Paperboy” Reed?

Is Roadrunner the frontrunner (heh) to sign TALENTfilter artist Dommin?

Multiple labels and publishers were at the Hotel Cafe this Saturday to catch Atlanta singer/songwriter Sonia Leigh -- we expect ALL of them to see her again on May 28 at Room 5 in L.A. -- she and her band put on a HELLUVA set. Very much in the vein of early Melissa Etheridge / Lucinda Williams / a younger, country-fried Joan Jett even...

LEEDS OUT AT NY TIMES -- Just saw on Idolator that NY Times Music writer Jeff Leeds has been let go. Hey, Jeff, if you'd like to contribute to the TALENTfilter blog, we'd love to have ya!

UPCOMING L.A. SHOWS OF NOTE:

May 14 -- Simon Lynge -- Hotel Cafe
May 15 -- South and Johnny Lloyd Rollins -- The Echo
May 16 -- Joe Purdy, Quincy Coleman -- the Roxy
May 17 -- Sonia Leigh -- Hotel Cafe
May 19 -- LoveLikeFire, Eli Paperboy Reed-- Spaceland
May 27, 28 -- Aushua -- House Of Blues Anaheim
May 28 -- Meiko -- Hotel Cafe

AS HINTED YESTERDAY... -- (From HITS): Veteran A&R exec Michael Goldstone will leave his post as President of Sire Records to join Q Prime, where he’ll be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the management company’s soon-to-be-named indie label.

***LATE-BREAKING WHISPER OF THE DAY!***

What happened at Sire Records today?! We were sworn to secrecy, but crazy crazy!!