AFIKA presents KATABASIS
As a sought-after professional in a long list of creative crafts—bass player, performer, recording artist, songwriter, and even educator—Afika is crafting a career as multifaceted and unique as he is. After being selected as a guest talent on season 1 of NBC’s SongLand, the published songwriter and international artist was featured alongside the Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah with his power pop Kanye-meets-Kendrick-esque anthem “Chosen,” which he followed up with an EP of the same name under the EMPIRE label group. Today, Afika hones his songwriting and artistry craft by experimenting with the songwriting world’s most elite expressive echelon: country music and Americana.KATABASIS is Afika’s tour-de-force foray into a one-man-show style of award-winning songwriting and epic storytelling. With his signature wit and irreverence, Afika takes listeners on a journey through the biblical book of Genesis, using his original songs as a lens through which to explore the timeless themes of creation, temptation, and redemption. Expect a potent blend of humor and pathos, a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relatable, and a performance that is both poignant and cathartic. For fans of: Frank Ocean, Joy Oladokun, Leon Bridges, Coldplay, Kendrick LamarPress:Triad City Beat: https://triad-city-beat.com/afika-nxumalo/Oh! Henry Magazine: https://www.ohenrymag.com/all-roads-lead-home/Instagram: https://instagram.com/__afika__?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Josh Morningstar with Brother Wilson
A curious and fresh combination of grit and humor, Josh Morningstar is knocking down stereotypes everywhere he goes with his worn boots and unforgettable raspy voice. Growing up outside of Baltimore, Maryland, he carries those roots in a suitcase with him everywhere he goes. His small-town charm is evident in the way he greets people, and in the conversational way that he weaves the stories of his life into his music. Named 2018 Texas Radio Songwriter of the Year, he and his Kristofferson signed guitar have knocked out melodies in dark clubs and dingy hotels all across the country. He’s written songs alongside Kendell Marvel, Channing Wilson, Autumn McEntire, and many more. Morningstar was also the writer of several Cody Jinks songs, including his #1 hits “Must Be The Whiskey” and “Ain’t A Train.” His lyrics force listeners to sit up and pay attention, and his songs are always full of truth-bearing stories. The familial connection Morningstar forges with people continues long after his shows are over. Josh Morningstar has shared the stage with some of today’s most sought after folk and country artists, including Shooter Jennings, Cody Jinks, Tyler Childers, Todd Snider, Colter Wall, and Ward Davis. Morningstar continues to lead the charge on the front lines of a new wave of country music – one full of soulful honesty, the familiar and true twang of an old guitar, and provoking melodies.
An Evening w/ Craig Baldwin
An Evening w/ Craig BaldwinLive at Flat IronWednesday, May 31, 2023$10
An Evening With Darrell Scott
Multi-Instrumentalist and Singer-Songwriter Darrell Scott mines and cultivates the everyday moment, taking the rote, menial, mundane, and allowing it to be surreal, ever poignant, and candidly honest, lilting, blooming, and resonating. The words he fosters allow us to make sense of the world, what is at stake here, and our place in it. And ultimately, Darrell knows the sole truth of life is that love is all that matters, that we don’t always get it right, but that’s the instinctive and requisite circuitous allure of things, why we forever chase it, and why it is held sacred. Darrell Scott comes from a musical family with a father who had him smitten with guitars by the age of 4, alongside a brother who played Jerry Reed style as well. From there, things only ramped up with literature and poetry endeavors while a student at Tufts University, along with playing his way through life. This would never change. After recently touring with Robert Plant and the Zac Brown Band (2 years with each), and producing albums for Malcolm Holcomb and Guy Clark and being named “songwriter of the year” for both ASCAP and NSAI, these days find him roaming his Tennessee wilderness acreage hiking along the small river, creating delicious meals with food raised on his property and playing music. He often leads songwriting workshops to help people tell their own truths with their stories, and is as busy as always writing, producing, performing, and just plain fully immersing himself in life.
Writers In The Round with Rod Abernethy, Stephen Murray, and Chris McGinnis
A writers in the round featuring Stephen Murray, Chris McGinnis, and Rod Abernethy. Hosted by Rod Abernethy.
Tiffany Thompson
Tiffany Thompson is a singer, songwriter, and experience designer who uses music to bring meaning through beauty into our world. Songs are her way of building bridges with people and between listeners to create a spirit of communion in a divided age.Originally from Iowa, Tiffany Thompson’s artistic journey has been quite the adventure.The daughter of a preacher, Tiffany, and her family moved from Iowa to Russia in the early 1990s and then over to Austin and Chicago in the 2000s. She launched her singer/songwriter career in Northern Virginia before spending 3 years in Nashville, New York City, and now calling North Carolina home.Tiffany’s single “We Are the Dreamers” was featured on one of the most popular segments of the Lifetime TV series “Dance Moms,” and the video from the show garnered over 2 million views and 300K streams. The cinematic strings and electronic production provided a unique sonic background for her angelic voice and hope-filled lyrics.Through the years, Tiffany has acquired a unique musical ear, dynamic stage presence, and creative spirit. She recorded music floats between genres—her voice and lyrics serve as the anchor.
Griefcat + Brittany Ann Tranbaugh w/ Special Guest: William Hinson
Griefcat is an all-women musical comedy duo hailed as “local favorites” by Washington City Paper in their hometown of DC. Often referred to as “Tenacious Double D’s” due to their musicality and hilarious lyrics, their sequin studded shows have been referred to by attendees as “the most fun [we’ve] had since Lizzo.” They recently finished recording their 2nd studio album, “late stage capitalism,” with singles expected in Spring of 2023. A live clip of one of their upcoming singles, “Revolution (Poop at Work), ” recently garnered over 1M views on Instagram and counting. Brittany Ann Tranbaugh is a singer songwriter hailing from Philadelphia. Her queer country song “Kiss You” won Song of the Year in the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and she regularly tours with Carsie Blanton. In October, she recorded a 5 song EP in LA with Grammy-nominated producer Tyler Chester, and will be releasing a single every 6 weeks beginning in March.
Songs From The Flat Iron Ft. Rod Abernethy, Louisa Branscomb, and Jeffrey Dean Foster
A songwriters in the round
Monet Maddux and Zoë Nutt
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Monet Maddux grew up listening to a mixture of family albums consisting of Peter Frampton, Patsy Cline, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ricky Lee Jones and Simon & Garfunkel just to name a few. She attended Auburn University to study journalism, but would came to discover her passion for writing was not news reporting but songwriting. Finding herself on the other recovering side of cancer, Monet began pursuing her gift of writing lyrics full time. Today she is a self taught musician, who has now shared the stage with Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Blackberry Smoke, Mat Kearney, Travis Meadows and Outlaw Country’s own troubadour, Ray Wylie Hubbard; who also produced Monet’s first self-titled album in 2018. Monet’s co-writing ventures have lead her to East TN’s duo The Young Fables earning her, her first cut with the song OVER YOU featured on their album entitled PAGES in 2022. Zoë Nutt is a Nashville based singer-songwriter hailing from East Tennessee. Nutt has no fear when it comes to her latest track “Say”, a powerful anthem that energizes you to be yourself no matter what others think. “Say” is one of 4 songs off Zoë’s new EP “Say What You Wanna Say” and was featured on Apple Music’s “Best New Americana Songs” list as well as their “New In Americana” playlist. Nutt has dealt with progressive hearing loss throughout her life, but has not let that stop her from making music. She uses a hearing aid and cochlear implant to hear. Although hearing loss is a prominent part of her life, she does not let that define her music. Her work finds itself meshed between Americana, Country, Blues and Alternative with her latest EP co-produced by Zoë herself and Oran Thornton.
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.
