OFFICIAL NCFF AFTER PARTY: THE AIN’T SISTERS
Fun, eclectic folk rock. Fronted by the deliciously androgynous duo Arrie Bozeman and Barb Carbon, the Aints deliver high-energy performances of their wildly diverse original music. Joined by the hardest working men in rock n Roll, Richie Jones on the Boom Chick thwackita whackita, and Justin Boudreau, aka BooDreamy, masterfully holding down the rhythm section and making everybody swoon with their gorgeous licks. Think Indigo Girls meets Dream Theater but with a little Birdcloud in the mix. If ya ain’t sisters, what are ya?
The Wilson Springs Hotel w/ Megan Jean’s Secret Family
The Wilson Springs Hotel are rooted in folk music and hail from all parts of Virginia; bringing country, folk, bluegrass, and rock together. Based in Richmond, VA TWSH brings high energy music and cohesion to their live show. Megan Jean’s Secret Family is a fresh blend of the 70’s by way of the 90’s rock, soul, country, and jam, emphasizing vocal-driven danceable original songs that bring together generations of sound. In May of 2024, the band made their national radio debut on NPR’s Mountain Stage alongside notable acts like Keller Williams and Bettye Lavette. DC Music Review called them one of their “New favorite acts” following an energitc performance at 2024’s DelFest.
Dance From Above presents: SHIGETO
Artists take on pseudonyms for a multitude of reasons, but in Zach Saginaw’s case, those reasons run deeper than most. The Detroit-based, Japanese-American musician, DJ, Portage Garage Sounds label co-founder, WDET 101.9FM host, and longtime Ghostly International artist records under the alias Shigeto. It’s his middle name and his grandfather’s name, a tribute to the Japanese branch of Saginaw’s family tree. Shigeto also means “to grow” — appropriate, given his premature birth weight of less than a pound. Today, Shigeto stands for Saginaw’s vividly beautiful electronic music. Beat-driven but given to richly textured sound design, rhythmically fractured yet melodically sumptuous, Shigeto’s music bridges the past and present, bringing the artist face to face with a creative legacy that spans decades. Cherry Blossom Baby, Shigeto’s first full-length statement since 2017, sprouts out from a collective thaw, ambitious, collaborative, and fully realized. It finds Saginaw embracing the role of producer and composer, showcasing a band-built sound that honors traditions in electronic, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. Saginaw and a group of guests and players present a snapshot in time, a celebration of self-love and an expression of vitality distinctly rooted in Detroit and informed by his family’s cultural history. “I am a cherry blossom baby,” he says. “We all are cherry blossom babies, we all are resilient, we all are growing, we all will continue to.
The Moon Unit + Instant Alter
The Moon Unit is a high-energy jazz fusion trio based in Durham, North Carolina, made up of musicians who have performed alongside some of the country’s most popular neo-jazz and jazz fusion artists. Drawing from a rich tapestry of musical styles—from traditional jazz and modern funk to rock and experimental pop—the trio brings a unique, genre-defying sound to every performance. Rooted in a lifelong friendship, The Moon Unit has honed their craft through years of exploring complex rhythms, melodies, and intense improvisation. Their performances are an invitation into an ever-evolving sonic journey where the boundaries of musical genres dissolve, leaving listeners with a transformative experience. Whether you’re a jazz enthusiast or a lover of bold, genre-blending sounds, The Moon Unit offers a live performance like no other. INSTANT ALTER is a new project formed by saxophonist Emilio Modeste and vocalist Natasha Agrama. INSTANT ALTER features drummer Miguel Russell and bassist Ryo Takenaga. INSTANT ALTER is a reorientation into a new way. A new aesthetic and a new story. These four virtuosic artists join together in service of the art of storytelling, creating a new thread of music as super-bands of the past have done – such as Return to Forever – while integrating grounded Earth Songs that call to the Brazilian Tropicália movement. Within this musical vessel lies an engine room fueled by a powerful and inimitable Bass-and-Drum connection. INSTANT ALTER follows in the spirit of the storytellers that have graced our journeys, offering a fresh sense of melody and rhythm, leading the way to deep feeling, healing and consciousness. INSTANT ALTER’s debut record is produced by Stanley Clarke and Lenny White (Clarke is also bandleader to Modeste and Agrama). INSTANT ALTER is the point of change between sensitivity and earth-shaking calls for reflection; between expansion and deep dives into learning and unlearning; between a global sentiment and an individual experience. INSTANT ALTER is happening in every living moment.
Pageant w/ Cinema Stereo and Prowess
Pageant is a 4-piece rock band, based in High Point, NC. With Roxxi Dirt on bass and vocals, Dylan Dynasty on drums, Cam Duke on rhythm guitar, and Dezzy Foxx on lead guitar, Pageant strives to shine a new light on the classic sound of rock n’ roll. Their music is inspired by rock legends such as Motley Crue, Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, and Cinderella, while also having a deep love for every genre of music. Pageant’s unique sound aspires to contribute to the new generation of rock and create a sound that is unique, yet familiar. They pride themselves on providing a listening experience that’s exciting, raw, and exhilarating. CINEMA STEREO is a high-energy alternative rock band with an affinity for writing infectious music with an original sound. Originally from Orlando, FL, and now based in Nashville, TN, the band draws from a diverse range of influences. Known for their raw emotion in their music, driving rhythms, and captivating lyrics, CINEMA STEREO is constantly evolving, drawing from diverse genres to craft a sound that’s uniquely their own. CINEMA STEREO consists of 3 unique individuals: lead vocalist, bassist & keyboard player Ian Rayha, guitarist Sebastian Borysek, and drummer Luke Pate. With a fearless approach to creativity, they’re making their mark as one of the most exciting new voices in rock music today
Abigail Dowd’s Songwriter Series w/ Ruth Wyand + The Rough & Tumble
Ruth Wyand – Ruth Wyand has achieved a level of diversity that has exceeded the expectations of audiences around the world. Her guitar virtuosity is demonstrated by dynamic fingerpicking, bottleneck slide and a warm alto voice. Her songwriting is timeless, relatable, emotionally resonant, sometimes witty, sometimes serious but always human and genuine. Her lyrics and stories along with her sense of humor will bring a smile to your face or a tear to your eye and her skillful command of the fretboard never ceases to amaze audiences of all ages. Rough & Tumble – The Rough & Tumble aren’t casual road dogs, but they aren’t letting on, either. From their upbeat, commanding stage presence and sharp banter to their earworm-inducing melodies and heartstring lyrics, this thriftstore-Americana duo refuses to bring the haggard road-worn stereotype to their audience– even though they’ve earned it. The Rough & Tumble, a duo composed of Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler, have been captivating audiences with their unique blend of folk music for over a decade. Graham and Tyler have a knack for weaving together elements of joy, sorrow, comedy, and drama in their music, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats.Forming in 2011, they spent 8 years full time in a 16ft camper with two big dogs, playing roughly 150 shows a year, before moving to the foothills of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. They still spend at least half the year touring and are at home at festivals, listening rooms, and house concerts across the country. In 2023 they received recognition for their work in New England as recipients of Club Passim’s Iguana Music Fund. Only This Far, the band’s most notable work, was released in 2023 and has been described as “quality songs, well written, well played, well sung and arranged, and a pleasure from start to end.” In November 2024, The Rough & Tumble released Hymns For My Atheist Sister and Her Friends To Sing Along To, a collection of deeply personal, unifying and uplifting, humanist gospel songs. Abigail Dowd – Our fearless host who still 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.
Abigail Dowd’s Singer-Songwriter Series: ft Wes Collins + Ordinary Elephant
Wes Collins – At age 44, Wes Collins and his wife Anita made a pact to become writers: she started writing fiction and Wes penned his first song. A few years later, they were both multi-award-winners in their fields. Wes writes songs that dig deep and go to uncertain, sometimes scary places. Come for a haunting melody and some intricate fingerpicking and stay for the wit and deep literary intelligence. There is always more to find in a Wes Collins song. A former librarian and avowed record nerd, Wes can imitate the sound of outmoded computer voice simulations. He hasn’t found a way to make that pay yet. Ordinary Elephant – Mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that’s earned married couple Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the pair took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album, Before I Go, and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year.” The band’s new stripped-down, self-titled collection is the purest distillation of their sound yet, showcasing the arresting power of the couple’s gorgeous harmonies and intricate fretwork. The songs are timeless, rooted in rich, character-driven storytelling, and the performances are similarly transportive, fueled by delicately intertwined banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. Though the songs were born out of a period of deep uncertainty, the record itself is a work of profound self-assurance, one delivered by a duo whose personal and professional lives embody the limitless possibility of honest, organic collaboration. Press play on Ordinary Elephant and you’ll hear more than just a husband and wife; you’ll hear the sound of sincerity and commitment, of patience and gratitude, of learning to let go of expectation and revel in the simple beauty of the moment. Abigail Dowd — Our fearless host who still 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.
Organ Fairchild
OFFICIAL NCFF AFTER PARTY: The Slys w/ William Hinson
Abigail Dowd Songwriter Series w/ Demeanor & Scarlet Tantrum
Demeanor – Justin Harrington (aka Demeanor) is an MC, banjo and bones player from Greensboro, North Carolina. Justin studied at the College Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati before leaving school to join his aunt, Rhiannon Giddens, as part of her Freedom Highway Tour. He has been playing the banjo for several years, crafting an unconventional fusion of hip-hop and American roots music in an effort to break down the wall separating black Americans with their own ancestral tradition, while celebrating American folk music as an African American art form. Justin is dedicated to developing an impactful body of work, and curating empowering environments, striving to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors while establishing a new musical legacy. Scarlet Tantrum- Scarlet blends today’s pop with yesterday’s rock. Growing up, her family always had 90’s and 2000’s alt-rock playing, and its mark is heard in her music’s electric guitar riffs and catchy melodies. Also influenced by the likes of Hayley Williams, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Halsey, the artist delivers bold, emotional statements with her lyrics. Music is Scarlet’s emotional outlet. Whether listening to her favorite artists or writing her own songs, it helps her heal. She hopes that her audience can find solace in her music, that she can give to others what other artists give to her. Abigail Dowd — bOur fearless host who still 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.
