Electric Kif w/ Sam Fribush
Electric Kif are a Miami-based power quartet that explore the boundaries between rock, jazz fusion and electronic drum & bass. Made up of bassist Rodrigo Zambrano, keyboardist Jason Matthews, drummer Armando Lopez and guitarist Eric Escanes, the “Kif” describe their music as “post-nuclear,” a dynamic mash of hard hitting groove, high octane riffs and cosmic melody. Notable past performances include Ground Up Music Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Miami Downtown Jazz Festival, and more. Performance highlights have also included opening for artists like Snarky Puppy, Ghost-Note, The Motet, Stanley Jordan and many others many others. In addition, the band has had some fantastic guest appearances at their monthly Miami residencies with Cory Henry, Michael League, Roosevelt Collier, Mark Lettieri and other top notch musicians.Sam FribushKeyboardist Sam Fribush is on the frontlines of the Hammond organ revival. His debut release, the SF Organ Trio, was produced by Charlie Hunter and recorded over quarantine in North Carolina. Recently, Fribush became a member of Hiss Golden Messenger. Currently based in Greensboro, NC, Fribush has brought his fonky, soulful vibe home to the town where he was born and raised.
BALA ROOTS
Celebrate Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras with the music of BALA ROOTS. Bala Roots is Brian Guy Tyndall bass, Gavin Douglas guitar, Joe Blocker drums and percussion, Sandy Blocker balafon. $12.
Libby Rodenbough, Lou Hazel, and Rodes Baby
LibbyMost widely known by music fans as one-fourth of the indie Americana band Mipso, LibbyRodenbough’s distinctive fiddle tones and ethereal, lilting vocals are well-accustomed to sonic settingsthat push the boundaries of traditional genres into new territory. On her first solo record, Spectacle OfLove (May 29, 2020 / Sleepy Cat Records) this spirit of artistic exploration and expansion remains aconstant for Rodenbough. Plucked from the Mipso collective, Rodenbough adds acoustic and electricguitar, piano and synth, and more to her personal repertoire of instruments, and invites in a widenedfamily of stellar North Carolina musicians to help bring Spectacle Of Love to fruition.The depth of Rodenbough’s songwriting––and her knack for seamlessly juxtaposing intense emotionwith observational asides––is fully revealed on Spectacle Of Love. With lyrics delivered head-on andcreative choices in service of that same unwavering honesty, Spectacle of Love is simultaneously anintimate confession and an expansive declaration.Lou HazelLou Hazel was born in the town of Olean, New York to a family of northeastern wiseacres.Not one to commit, he skirted the compulsive hunting and fishing tradition held close to his father’s heart – instead cultivating a sensitivity more suited to artists and vagabonds. As a result, his travels brought him across the country and eventually through debilitating depression before coming to rest with a sense of personal peace and positivity in Durham, NC.Yet, Lou’s brain is still a bat cave. Mostly, he wakes up with no idea what he’s going to do next, then finds himself there. In songwriting, he pulls from this cave rambling, heartfelt tales flowing through unselfconscious truth. In illustrations, he swirls and meanders towards an eventual finish only understood upon completion – as in his music. And in his photography and design work, he renders the essence of fellow musicians into expressive, personalized works of art.Today, Louie continues crafting genuine folk tales of honest longing, disquieting loss, and nostalgia through a brilliant sheen of fresh insight with humble humor. Grabbing us by the ears in a new-age, Prine-like grip. Transforming the minutiae of everyday life into ever more evocative music. And surprising us all, including himself, with where we emerge.In other words, Lou Hazel is coming out of this unbearable, unbelievably tragic, disconcerting year like a damn newborn moth with jet engine wings aimed toward a totally full super-moon. And it is good. Rodes BabyRodes Baby (MK Rodenbough) has been anxiously awaiting this day for a long time. They grew up writing songs on a cheap Yamaha keyboard in their family’s basement in North Carolina, and testing them out at local coffee shops before they were old enough to drive. After several years of playing shows around the vibrant and collaborative music scene of the NC Triangle, they ran a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019 that allowed them to record their first album. Then the pandemic hit. Suddenly needing to settle into a job that kept them on the frontline, music took a back seat. Now, nearly a year and a half later, they’re looking forward instead of sitting still. Restless and ready, they will release their debut record, All Of My Friends, on November 19th, 2021.
Vandoliers w/ Crenshaw Pentecostal
Vandoliers are the next wave of Texas music. The six-piece Dallas-Fort Worth groupchannels all that makes this vast state unique: tradition, modernity, audacity, grit, and—of course—size. Forever puts it all together for an enthralling ride down a fresh Lone Starhighway.Produced and recorded by Adam Hill (Low Cut Connie, The Bo-Keys, Deer Tick, DonBryant, Zeshan B) at American Recording Studios in Memphis, TN, the band’s third album(and first with Bloodshot) Forever is a mix of youthful and defiant punk, rugged Red Dirtcountry, and vibrant Tejano. The full-length’s 10 songs blend emblematic rock ‘n’ roll withbold horns, violin, and a slather of twang reflecting where the band is from, where they’vebeen and, eventually, where they’ll be headed. It’s regional and universal all the same.
The Dirty Grass Players
The Dirty Grass Players are a high octane bluegrass/americana quartet hailing from Baltimore, MD. Named the breakthrough performance at Delfest in 2022, the band has established themselves with one toe-tappin’ foot in traditional bluegrass and blazing musicianship that pushes boundaries. This four- piece is successfully bringing their growing fan base a down, dirty and heated performance to every stage they play. Their ability to seamlessly transition from down home bluegrass to spirited improvisation makes each performance unique. Past festival appearances at Delfest, Charm City Bluegrass & Folk Festival, Bristol Rhythm & Roots and many more have helped cement their growing footprint up and down the eastern seaboard, midwest and beyond. With 7 years and 2 studio albums under their belt and a new record on the horizon in early 2023 (produced by Cody Kilby), the band is poised for a breakout year.
Wyatt Easterling w/ Chris Myers
” Easterling really can write a song that captures your attention the first time you hear it.” – The Rocking Magpie” Wyatt Easterling would be a revered addition to your music library. One of the year’s best.” – John Apice, Americana Highways “some big-hearted melodies that rekindle the emotional strength of Bruce Cockburn and Jackson Browne.” – Glide Magazine ” Easterling’s musical messages remain clear and effective throughout the disc.” – Will Phoenix, HWY”A solid set with tunes for our times, this is a solid ear opener that rings true.”- Chris Spector, Midwest Record “Dancing on the beach, easy music on the front porch, and Easterling’s thoughtful song on how to appreciate the small but important aspects of life make for a cool song and an even cooler video.” – Melissa Clarke, Americana Highways (on the title track) “Easterling’s vocal is heartfelt and intimate”- Americana UK
The Fundamentals w/ Mellow Swells
The FundamentalsDrawing from their love of music from the 1960’s/1970’s, The Fundamentals are a rhythm section quartet based in North Carolina who are just trying to make people dance. You’ve heard this group before as the rhythm section for Reliably Bad, as well as individually on many other North Carolina records in the past few years including Daron., Victoria Victoria, Maia Kamil, Drew Foust, William Hinson, and more.Mellow SwellsMellow Swells is a band from the triangle area that soar blasts funk, rock, and intense improvisation to its listeners. Their influences range from traditional music all the way to modern funk/pop. Expect to get beef blasted by some low end bass, sweaty by some deep grooves, and slapped by soulful vocals and soaring riffs.
Elora Dash w/ Taylor Aaron Parker Williams
Blending elements of contemporary R&B, classic soul, and jazz fusion, Elora Dash is an exciting up-and-coming artist from Chapel Hill, NC. Elora is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who is breaking into the regional neo-soul scene. Her music is characterized by eclectic instrumentals and soulful vocals. Elora has had the opportunity to play venues such as The Pour House, Camp North End, Flat Iron, and Lincoln Theatre. She is joined by an all-star band, with the core members being Brady Kennedy as her co-producer and drummer, Daniel Combs as her keyboardist, and Nick Williams as her bassist. In 2020, she released “Self-Actualization”, a 9-track instrumental collaborative lofi mixtape featuring many artists from around NC and the country. This project was her introduction as a solo artist, and she is currently working on her next project which will include several singles with original lyrical content. Her new single “Disappointed” released on November 26.
The Deluge w/ Spank
Doors at 8:00Show at 9:00Very special guests Spank!$10
The Shootouts
On February 24, 2023, The Shootouts will release their third album, Stampede, produced by 10x Grammy-winner Ray Benson, lead singer of Asleep at The Wheel. Distributed world-wide through Soundly Music, Stampede is steeped in all things country music – an energetic fusion of Americana, honky tonk and Western swing. The album will feature special guest appearances from Ray Benson & Asleep at The Wheel, Marty Stuart, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale, and Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks.Hailing from Akron, Ohio, The Shootouts are known for their energetic blend of honky-tonk, Americana, and traditional country. After releasing their acclaimed 2019 debut Quick Draw, the band charted Top 50 on Americana radio. In 2020, the band was nominated for “Best Honky-Tonk Group” at the Ameripolitan Music Awards, an honor they have been nominated for again at the upcoming 2023 awards ceremony. 2021 album “Bullseye” spent over 18 weeks on the Americana Radio chart, including 3 weeks in the Top 10 (#6).They have shared the stage with luminaries such as Marty Stuart, Asleep at The Wheel, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charley Crockett, Radney Foster, Chris Isaak, Raul Malo, Jim Lauderdale, Chuck Mead, Kim Richey, Dale Watson, and many more.
