The Nth Power
The Nth Power believes in the healing power of music. Featuring guitarist Nick Cassarino, bassist Nate Edgar and drummer Nikki Glaspie, the seasoned trio delivers a transcendent blend of soul, funk, rock and rhythm and blues. Multi-part vocal harmonies and elevated musicianship inspires audiences to dance, groove, make love or just stand there with goose bumps. The Nth Power’s electric live performances have been flooring audiences ever since the group first aligned in New Orleans during Jazz Fest. After the band’s breakout 2013 EP, Basic Minimum Skills Test, The Nth Power went on to release two acclaimed studio albums and two live albums – garnering national coverage in Relix, Modern Drummer, Huffington Post, Glide, Consequence, Okayplayer, Paste and Sirius XM Radio. The trio’s individual music credentials include collaborating with artists like Beyonce, Snarky Puppy, Maceo Parker, Dumpstaphunk, Big Daddy Kane and John Brown’s Body. “It’s my dream team,” said bandleader and drummer Glaspie. “Each one of us is a songwriter, so when we get together, everything becomes that much stronger. We’re going as far as you can go on the planet Earth and playing music.” The Nth Power’s inspirational sets have floored audiences at music festivals like Electric Forest, High Sierra, Peachfest, North Coast Music Festival and Hulaween. They maintain New Orleans as their spiritual home, and the celebratory essence of that city’s music culture is palpable in each performance. Simply put, there is something pretty magical happening in this band, and they’re only just getting started.
Strange Fruit Presents: Nina J.
Songwriter Series hosted by Abigail Dowd ft: A Different Thread, and Chris Moyse
Chris Moyse – Winner of the Kerrville New Folk songwriting competition, Chris Moyse is a Nashville-based folk songwriter. He has shared the stage with troubadours like Joe Ely, Mary Gauthier, and members of Old Crow Medicine Show. In 2020, Chris released his debut album Bitter Ballads & Cynical Prayers, garnering critical acclaim with American Songwriter calling it “roots-thick and shadowy.. guided by velvety vocals. A delicate ebb and flow.” He continues to tour in support of this album. A Different Thread – British-Americana troubadours A Different Thread create a richly emotive tapestry of transatlantic folk. Lead singers Robert Jackson (Midlands, UK) and Alicia Best (North Carolina) first met busking in Ireland. Backed by Mike Seal on double bass, their original songs weave Celtic balladry and Appalachian blues, featuring fiddle, harmonica, and an abundance of honeyed harmonies. Following in the footsteps of Johnny Cash and June Carter, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, A Different Threadʼs unique sound has earned them acclaim for their powerful storytelling and moving live performances. They have garnered support slots with the likes of The Milk Carton Kids, Native Harrow, and Jody Stephens (Big Star), as well as features with NPR and the BBC. Catch them part of this year’s Merlefest lineup. Abigail Dowd – Our fearless host enjoys music most when it’s embedded in real life, sitting around a fire, singing harmonies around an old family piano, or every third Tuesday night at the Flat Iron. Each month Abigail invites musician friends to fall into space with her and the audience for what she describes as an evening in her adopted living room. They collaborate, share new songs, play old favorites, make things up, make you cry, make you laugh and most of all make you glad you came.
The Goodbye Horses, Wafer Thin, and Matt Smith and the Cowboy Spankers
The Goodbye Horses are an all-original Greensboro-based four-piece known for their blend of post-punk, americana, and garage rock. The band’s distinctive sound and style takes listeners on a journey through synth-driven dance, punk, goth, pop, and rock—landing somewhere between The Cure and Crazy Horse, with a touch of twang and plenty of thunder for the ride. Today’s matinee show, beginning at 2PM, with their friends Wafer Thin and Matt Smith & The Cowboy Spankers, is a celebration of their debut release: “Ghost Weather” (CD, Vinyl Cassette, Streaming) on Dark Homes Records. It’s like The Cure if Robert Smith was from Sanford. -Dan Bayer (The Grand Old Uproar) The Goodbye Horses are a raucous reminder of bands like 6 String Drag, the Waco Brothers, and Jason and the Scorchers. -Eddie Huffman Wafer Thin is an indie rock band known for their infectious melodies and raw, heartfelt lyrics. Blending elements of alt-rock, post-punk, and indie pop, the band crafts a sound that’s both dynamic and introspective. Matt Smith & The Cowboy Spankers bring equal parts grit and grace with influences that span rock and folk genres. Featuring former and current members of 80s hardcore icons: Subculture, The Darnell Woodies, Willam and The Texas Starlight, The Johnsons, Lavamouth, Lords of Mace, this 3 piece draws inspiration from Motörhead and Black Sabbath, as well as folk icons like Doc Watson and Townes Van Zandt.
The Kelli Baker Band featuring Noé Socha
Recently named the winner of the 2024 615 Blues Revival Competition at Papa Turney’s in Nashville, Kelli Baker is known in some circles as “The Phoenix,”. Kelli was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona before moving to New York in 2012, where she quickly became a vibrant presence in the city’s music scene. Her journey began in the church choir, later evolving into fronting a hard rock band, forming a folk duo, and finally, honing her craft in New York’s renowned blues jams. She closed 2024 with an awesome run in Florida, where she supported and shared the stage with the multi-awarded blues icon, Mike Zito. She’ll return to the stage with Mike in early 2025. Kelli achieved the #1 Blues Song on the Roots Music Report with her rendition of “Dr. Feelgood (Love is a Serious Business)” and won the Long Island/Brooklyn/Queens division of the International Blues Challenge. Recently, she was honored by the National Women in Blues in Memphis. Kelli has headlined the Women of the Blues Fest in McIntosh, MN, and the Paxico Blues Fest in Paxico, KS, which attracts 5,000+ attendees annually. She will return to Paxico in 2025. Kelli is a regular performer at prestigious blues clubs, including The Rhythm Room in Phoenix, AZ, and The Sand Dollar in Las Vegas, NV. In New York City, she regularly graces stages like The Bitter End and The Cutting Room. As a brand ambassador, Kelli represents Monster Products, Fishman, ADV, Dark Matter Audio Labs, and Modern Vintage Guitars. Noé Socha is a Brooklyn-based guitarist and harmonica player from Carpi, Italy. His music blends influences from folk legends like Bob Dylan and Delta blues icons such as Muddy Waters, with a touch of Hendrix-inspired flair. Noé has toured, performed, and recorded with notable artists like Nona Hendrix, Vernon Reid, and GRAMMY winners Javier Limón and Paula Cole. He has been part of The Kelli Baker Band since early 2024. He continues to perform across New York City and teaches with The Blues and Beyond project.
Meredith Moon, Murphy Campbell, and Colin Cutler
MEREDITH MOON Besides playing traditional tunes often ‘non-traditionally’, Meredith presents a powerful voice and highly contemporary clawhammer banjo style which has gained acclaim within the international old-time and Americana music community. She is a multi-instrumentalist, incorporating finger-style/travis picking guitar, piano and lap dulcimer into her performances. Her second release, “Constellations” on True North Records garnered international acclaim; was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for Traditional Album of the Year, and was on the Folk Alliance International top 10 Album Chart two months running in April and May 2023. “Moon writes heartfelt folk songs, sings beautifully, and plays several instruments masterfully.” – Americana Highways “She conjures up songs awash in rich, moody melodies that catch the ear in a way, at least in my experience, that many don’t get close to.” – Rambles MURPHY CAMPBELL Murphy Campbell is an old time musician based out of Stokesdale, North Carolina. Drawing inspiration from her Appalachian heritage and Western NC roots, she uses traditional storytelling as a catalyst for contemporary folk pieces. She has played the likes of Merlefest, NC Folkfest and the Charlotte Folk Festival.
Jess Klein + Doug Davis
Over a career that spans more than a decade and a half and has won her a devoted worldwide fan base, Jess Klein—who possesses what Mojo magazine calls “one of those voices you want to crawl up close to the speakers to listen to” has pursued a remarkable creative evolution that’s seen her dig ever deeper for resonant emotional insights, while continuing to refine her eloquently melodic, effortlessly accessible songcraft. Jon Pareles of The New York Times calls her “a songwriter with a voice of unblinking tenacity…who finds parables in the everyday and also finds humanity behind the archetypal.” After years of producing, arranging, and composing for artists from across the country, Doug Davis is going all in as a solo singer-songwriter. Drawing on decades of experience performing with musicians like Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter, Alejandro Escovedo, Robyn Hitchcock, Mark Kano, and so many others, Davis infuses his classic American roots style with a bit of everything from power pop to punk.
Dance From Above Presents: Toribio w/ Alvin Shavers, Niervash, RAHL & 50FT BTB
A DJ, producer, and musician who lights up any venue, TORIBIO is a Dominican-American artist with a passion for rhythm. Blending genres through his craft, he creates dynamic sonic experiences. With roots in church and jazz drumming, he serves as the musical cartographer for his live house fusion band, Conclave, whose eponymous album was named one of RA’s best albums of 21 and praised by the New Yorker and Rolling Stone. His DJ sets seamlessly mix pan-Latin, electro, jazz, and funk, captivating crowds globally. Known for fostering community through movement, his Brooklyn block parties (Public Service NYC) embody the spirit of New York’s dance culture while his newly formed imprint B.D.A. is quickly becoming known for bringing these vibes to vinyl. A TORIBIO show is a full-body experience—as he always says, “bring dat ass, and your feet will follow.”
The Psycodelics w/ The Slys
“The Psycodelics” features Cameron ‘Caminator’ Wescott (bass, vocals), Sean Bing (drums, vocals), Noah Jones (keys), Whitt Burn (guitar, vocals), Jim Rubush (guitar), and Chris Barnwell (drums). By both blending foundations of blues and jazz with fresh funk and rock and having a stage presence as multifaceted and emotive as its lineup, the already-potent sound retains even greater magic to make you get up and dance.
Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers
At the bottom of the Southwest Virginia foothills half-a-mile from the nearest neighbor, 21-year-old Colby T. Helms resides in an “underground house” built by his late father on land his family has owned for generations. Colby first dreamed of making music his life at age 12, when a group of Blue Ridge Mountain old-time and bluegrass players performed songs like The Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ “Standing On The Rock” and the gospel classic “A Beautiful Life” at his father’s funeral in Boones Mill, VA. To make this dream a reality, he taught himself guitar, banjo, and mandolin by watching local performers and YouTube videos.
