Skylar Gudasz with Riggings
With her luminous voice and captivating songcraft, Skylar Gudasz has won the admiration ofsome of the most distinguished artists in music. The Durham-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has shared stages with the likes of Ray Davies, Cat Power and Sharon VanEtten as part of the Big Star’s Third tribute concerts, opened for the likes of Television,Teenage Fanclub, and Mountain Goats, and appeared as a background vocalist on albums bySuperchunk and Hiss Golden Messenger, including a TV debut with the latter on Late Nightwith Seth Meyers.Gudasz released her full-length debut Oleander in 2016 at which point The Bitter Southernerdubbed her “the Joni Mitchell the South never had.” On the eve of pandemic lockdown in 2020,Gudasz delivered her sophomore album Cinema, recorded between famed April Base in EauClaire, Wisconsin and in the lush forests of the rich NC music scene. The release summonedpraise from the likes of Pitchfork, NPR’s All Songs Considered, and MOJO who described itmost concisely as "a career-making star turn.” Gudasz’s highly anticipated third album, recordedwith Ari Picker (Dante High, Lost in the Trees), is due later this year.In addition to her solo career, Gudasz is active in collaborations, including an “Ask Me Anything”tour with Kate Rhudy and Libby Rodenbough, an event at which the songwriters answeraudience questions about love and play songs in response. The trio was recently featured aspart of Southern Songbirds: The Power of Women in Country Music series at the NorthCarolina Museum of History, a collaboration with PBS and the Grammy Museum
Tyler Ramsey with Darren Jessee
Praised by NPR, Stereogum, WNYC and The Huffington Post, Tyler Ramsey is a multi-instrumentalist equally at home playing guitar, piano, keyboards, bass and percussion, but is best known as a talented finger-style guitarist and singer-songwriter. In addition to having released three acclaimed solo albums, Ramsey is perhaps most immediately recognizable, until his recent departure, as the guitarist and a co-writer in Band Of Horses, having played with them since 2007, prior to the release of their breakthrough album, “Cease To Begin.” A well-established and acclaimed guitar player and singer in the burgeoning western North Carolina music scene, where he calls home, he first learned to play music on piano before moving to the guitar. Ramsey grew up listening to and studying country-blues guitar players like Mance Lipscomb and Mississippi John Hurt, and American finger pickers like John Fahey and Leo Kottke, absorbing their sound and making it all his own. His fourth solo album, which was recorded in Louisville, Kentucky, during tour downtime and completed this past summer, is set for release in 2018. The new songs are lush and full, and realized with help from a list of friends old and new, adding gorgeous vocal harmonies, strings, and guitar counterpoints.
Deaf Andrews with Galloway
Dead Andrews with Galloway, Live at Flat Iron!July 8, 2023Doors 7:30pm$10 Conceived in the daydreams of adolescence, Deaf Andrews is more than a collection of passionate musicians. It is the product of five long-time friends making music that means something to them, and hopefully anyone else listening. Consisting of Nick Hayes (Vocals), Mike Sherrard (guitar), Ross Schumann (bass), Andrew Kingsley (guitar) and Braedon Nelson (drums), the group has blossomed from their roots, into a unique sonic flower of indie pop rock. From their 2019 single, “Justified” to their debut album “Saturday on Saturn”, Deaf Andrews has continued to push the limits of their creativity and emotional tuneness. Making it a priority to capture some of the magic energy that fuels their live shows, the sound is organic, direct, and channels the essence of true rock and roll while also exploring the experimental freedom of modern indie pop. “Saturday On Saturn” strives to capture the human element that makes music so special. Focusing on themes of escapism, mental sanity, and personal relationships, there is something very genuine about the songwriting on this release because it borrows from personal experience while also connecting with the audience in an infectious way. Deaf Andrews is based out of Charlotte, NC and is actively booking for 2023. “Saturday On Saturn” is available on all streaming platforms. w/ Galloway Galloway — comprised of Lawson Galloway (vocals), Robert Redfield (guitar), Travis Hayes (guitar/keys), Sam Huntley (Guitar), Nick Williams (bass/keys), and Daniel Crump (drums) — is an alternative pop band based out of Boone, NC, that combines aspects of pop, rock, indie, and alternative music, striving to deliver songs that are rife with memorable, well-crafted instrumentals, smooth and vibrant vocals, and lyrics about love, mental health, queerness, and existentialism.
Illiterate Light w/ Airpark
Illiterate Light thrives on subverting expectations. Though just a duo, the Harrisonburg, Virginia-based singer-guitarist Jeff Gorman along with Nashville, Tennessee-based drummer Jake Cochran make surprisingly pummeling and thoughtful alternative rock. Since the band’s 2015 inception, they’ve intently focused on their unorthodox live show with Cochran standing behind his kit and Gorman playing synth bass with his foot as he sings and strums his guitar. Fiercely egalitarian and independent, the two not only split up songwriting duties and arrangement ideas, they even built bike-powered stages: bringing the fans into the live experience and envisioning a greener future for shows. But with their latest album Sunburned, out January 27 via Thirty Tigers, Gorman and Cochran have turned their attention inward to their songwriting and studio craft. It’s their most fully-realized and ambitious LP yet, one that’s full of immediate songs that update and revolutionize the band’s approach to making music. There are rich keyboard and programmed percussion textures now populating their songs, as well as soaringly anthemic choruses, and hefty doses of fuzz. “On our first record, we were very live-focused and wanted to make sure whatever we were writing was translated in person,” says Gorman. “Without that crutch, we could be more adventurous and take more risks. We definitely weren’t timid in the studio.”
Liz Hopkins + Azul Zapata
Liz Hopkins has been singing since she could talk, and probably sings more than she talks–.in choirs of all kinds, musical theater productions, open jams, sitting in with all kinds of bands, and as a proud member of North Carolina-born DELTA RAE. She started harmonizing with Ian Eric and Brittany Holljes during her high school years — and they are still harmonizing today. But now, Liz is coming at you with her own distinct flavor. As a vocalist with Delta Rae has toured all over the US, and internationally, released 4 full-length albums, played music festivals including Bonnaroo, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and more- performed on National TV (Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers), and had the honor of meeting Michelle Obama, and shared the stage and had a sign off with Melissa Etheridge. She was really nervous. After 2 rounds with labels. In 2019, Delta Rae left the label they were on (again) and set out on their own and became the most-funded independent band in the history of Kickstarter. It has been a wild ride and 13 years into full-time musician life, she hasn’t slowed down. She remains proud to be part of Delta Rae, who just released 2 albums in 2020 and 2021 – and is back on tour this year!When Liz is not on the road or in the studio with Delta Rae, she is singing in professional musical theater productions, leading shows of her own around North Carolina, practicing piano, teaching kids and adults to sing, and now finally starting to write her own songs and put together plans for an album of her own. We’ve only just begun… + Azul Zapata: AZUL’s sound is as multicultural as her background. Her music is enriched by her Argentinian roots, travel, and global studies degree, while influenced by jazz, broadway, soul, gospel, blues, disco, Latin folk and Latin rock. She is emotional, empathetic, and empowered. She is driven to amplify opportunities for femme/queer/POC individuals in her band and on stage. After releasing her debut original EP in 2021 “The View From Here,” Azul has played all over NC and opened for several nationally touring acts. The INDY Week said about her debut single, “Magic,” “Magic” feels like a true pop song—lush, catchy, persuasive, and full of the kind of pent-up drama that makes the quest for greater belief and optimism feel fresh. Zapata’s voice is bold and reaching; this is a single with the thrill of a big beginning.” For AZUL when mental health, trust, government, and her relationships fail, AZUL’s music speaks; loudly. The authentic aspiration that overcomes her life is for you to listen; (and for her to be heard).
Virginia Man and Tyler Meacham
Virginia ManComing off of the release of their debut LP, “Sad but True”, the boys have been out on the road! This show has become the favorite amongst members and audiences alike, with a sonic rollercoaster, akin to the plot of a great American classic, with gripping performances and storytelling, and celebratory beverages following. Jacob Sommerio, guitar/engineer, Stephen Amoruso, bass/vocals, and Kristian Lietzan, singer/songwriter, configure the emotional folk-and-roll band, Virginia Man. With poetic lyrics bellowing over the sounds of middle Appalachia, these gentlemen champion the sound of their homeland: a strange suspension between the cardinal directions, musical genres, and the changing of seasons.Tyler MeachamWhether dance floors are open or closed, pop music retains its power to move us, distilling complex emotional experiences into art that resonates the moment it hits our ears. That immediacy is a hallmark of songs by indie-pop singer and songwriter Tyler Meacham.“It’s pop but it’s not,” says Meacham in regards to her debut LP Into The Fray. “I don’t really like to align myself with a genre… I lean towards what’s right [for a song], more than just what fits in a box, if that makes sense.” The Richmond, Virginia based artist doesn’t shy away from sharing her deepest vulnerabilities in her music, which spans from fully-produced to more stripped-back sonic affairs where her resonant voice is at the forefront. On Into The Fray, Meacham explores the many layers of love, vulnerability, self-awareness, and self-worth that surface in relationships. Produced with partner & bassist Chip Hale, Into The Fray draws inspiration from their shared appreciation for pop giants like Jack Antonoff/Bleachers, OneRepublic, and Maggie Rogers, as well as the self-revelatory intimacy of songwriters like Sara Bareilles, Blake Mills, and Theo Katzman. The result is a 10-song amalgamation of synth pop, indie rock, and a pinch of folk. Into the Fray is available on CD, Vinyl, and everywhere music is streamed. ~Davy Jones & Elaine Rhodes
Anand Wilder with Sam Logan
Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Anand Wilder is best known as co-founder of shape-shifting experimental indie rockers Yeasayer . He honed his songwriting craft for fourteen years with Yeasayer before their split in 2019, fronting career defining favorites such as O.N.E. , Wait For The Summer , Madder Red , Don’t Come Close , and Silly Me . In 2014, Wilder released a rock opera entitled Break Line The Musical , which featured an eclectic cast of guest vocalists and players he had met over the years of touring with Yeasayer , including members of MGMT, Suckers, Vampire Weekend, Dirty Projectors , Dragons Of Zynth Man Man , What Cheer? Brigade and singers Caroline Polachek and Cameron Hull.
Nightblooms with Jessie Dunks
LOVE SONGS FOR THE APOCALYPSEGreensboro, NCOne of the hardest parts about having a band is describing what you sound like. It’s often easier just to reference other bands people might actually know (Elliott Smith, Weyes Blood, George Harrison, Grizzly Bear, The War on Drugs, fwiw) than to come up with overused adjectives and round-about metaphors. I guess I could tell you that Nightblooms sounds a little like Lilac Shadows but filtered through acoustic guitars, pianos, and a lot less volume. That might help, but you also might be like, “I don’t know what Lilac Shadows is.” I could say we use lots of synthesizers or that lyrically our songs are anxious as hell but pretty fun musically. But like Saul Bellow (maybe?) once said, “I’m the bird — you’re the ornithologist.” So just listen and see what comes to mind. It’ll probably be more evocative than I can write here anyway. Whatever we sound like to you, I just hope you enjoy it.
Chessa Rich With Kill The Buddha
Chessa Rich swallowed sound at an early age, solidifying music as her internal compass. After a post-college job in Spain, she returned to North Carolina to hone the keyboard, flute and vocals that would form the bedrock of her equally jagged and ethereal style. Tracing her lines of influence from her parents’ community jazz band to the moment she encountered Radiohead in her youth, Rich has emerged as a versatile songwriter and collaborator, recording and performing with Hiss Golden Messenger and Tift Merritt, as well as putting out a 2018 EP produced by Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso.
Condado + Monsoon + Housewife
Condado is a DIY rock band from central North Carolina. The band’s members include Alberto “Birdie” Velazquez (guitar/vocals), Joshua Reid (guitar/vocals), Javan Trinidad (bass/vocals), and Anunt Singh (drums). Naming the band “Condado” (the Spanish word for county) is a reminder of the rural/suburban locations in which the members grew up – places usually lacking a supportive music scene and/or diversity. It’s a reminder that pursuing their individual and collective dreams of making music is possible regardless of where they’re from or who they are. The band pulls influence from many artists, specifically the northeast emo and punk scenes of recent years, providing its take on the sound through a distinct rhythmic focus/playfulness, punchy and driving percussion, thick guitar riffs, roaring bass lines, and melodies made to sing your heart out to. This is the part where I have to tell you about the band and pretend an outside source wrote something really flattering in the passage below. Unfortunately no one ever said anything nice about us, so here I go. “Monsoon is a really good two piece indie rock band from Athens, Ga.” -Sienna Chandler Don’t worry, it’s not the kind of indie where the reverb pedal stays on as I stare blankly at the fret board of my unscathed turquoise jaguar. If we’ve got anything, it’s that Joey and I spent 5 years creating Ghost Party and wanted to make our live show as attractive as we think our album is.
