Vance Gilbert burst onto the singer/songwriter scene in the early 90's when the buzz started spreading in the folk clubs of Boston about an ex-jazz singer who was knocking 'em dead at open mikes. The word spread of this Philadelphia-area born and raised performer to New York; Shawn Colvin invited Vance Gilbert to be special guest on her Fat City tour. Gilbert took audiences across the country by storm ("With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar playing of a god, it was enough to earn him that rarity: an encore for an opener" wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in it's review of a show from that tour). Gilbert's three albums for the Rounder/Philo label - EDGEWISE (1994), FUGITIVES (1995), and the celebrated, arrestingly sparse SHAKING OFF GRAVITY (1998)- are all essential additions to the American singer-songwriter collection. With guests as varied as Tuck and Patti, Jonatha Brooke, Patty Larkin, Dee Carstensen, Vinx, and Jane Siberry, all three albums found significant niches on NAC (New Adult Contemporary) and Non-Commercial A3 (Adult Album Alternative) radio. These discs were followed by the self-released SOMERVILLE LIVE (2000), his live recording lionized by the Boston Globe as the disc "young songwriters should study the way law students cram for bar exams", and ONE THRU FOURTEEN (2002), a stylistically varied tour de force that New York's Town and Village calls "lively, eclectic, electrifying and transcending.” Follow that with SIDE OF THE ROAD (2003), a duo album with Ellis Paul, lauded as “haunting, artful, and lovely" by Boston Magazine and nominated for a 2004 Boston Music Award.
"He is that rare performer for whom people lean forward in their seats as eagerly between songs as they do during them. These "Vance-heads" see him over and over again, always expecting to be surprised, never being disappointed." - Boston Globe
Open - Chelsea Berry - Livingston Taylor calls this 29 year old Alaskan born singer songwriter 'World Class" and he mentors her on a regular basis. She is now based in the Boston area and she sang the National Anthem on The Boston Common this past August. In September of 2011, after hearing Chelsea perform her single "You Me & Mary", Meg Griffin began playing Chelsea regularly on Sirius XM on "The Loft" channel 30, where she is now heard Nationally.
"In the last five years, no one has released more consistently excellent blues albums than Atlanta's Tinsley Ellis..." - Philip Van Vleck, Billboard.com
Hard-rocking blues-soaked guitarist/vocalist/song-writer Tinsley Ellis sings and plays with the energy and soul of all the great Southern musicians who have come before him. Ellis attacks his music with rock power and blues feeling, following in the tradition of Deep South musical heroes Duane Allman, Freddie King, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes. His live shows feature extended fretwork filled with melodic and rhythmic experimentation, in the spirit of jam bands like his friends Widespread Panic and The Allman Brothers. Atlanta Magazine declared Ellis "the most significant blues artist to emerge from Atlanta since Blind Willie McTell."
If you like the Blues of: Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Allman Brothers & Johnny Winter, you'll love Tinsley.
Open: Tokyo Tramps - Hailing from the Land of the Rising Sun, Tokyo Tramps is on a mission to deliver the joy and excitement of true American music; Blues and Rock'n'Roll. And they're hot as a pistol!
Comedian Stephen Donovan is truly a renaissance man. For starters, he has returned for his second season as the Emmy-nominated host of NESN's weekly Red Sox trivia game show, "The Batter's Box." In addition, he is enjoying his 4th season hosting "Backstage Buzz" on "Community Auditions", where every week he interviews contestants on New England's longest-running entertainment TV program.
Every morning, you can hear Stephen hosting the #1-rated "Jen & Steve Show" on 104.5 WXLO-FM. Since 2003, his interview guests run the show business gamut, from music (Simon Cowell and Lambert), to acting, (William Shatner and Keifer Sutherland).
In his free time, Stephen is also a standup comedian in his own right. He has performed all over the country over the last 12 years, with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock, and a nationwide college tour in 2009 with Ben Bailey.
Wherever you see or hear him, Stephen will leave you laughing and wanting more.
This show will be videotaped for a special live DVD. Be a part of the fun.
Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Mike Zito, Charlie Wooten & Yonrico Scott.
Since the late 60s the names Allman and Neville have been synonymous with great music. Music that is untamed, hard to categorize, a blending rock, blues, and soul into a fusion that remains on its own and has been a staple of the Blues and Jam music scene. When Devon Allman told his father, Greg, that he was putting a band together that involved Mike Zito and Cyril Neville it was met with major approval. Neville knew the Allman’s since his days hanging out while recording a Meters record at a Macon recording studio. Cyril would hang with Duane and Greg whenever the Allman's Brother's would play New Orleans which they did on a frequent basis. In 2010 the Neville Brother/Meters vocalist and percussionist, Grammy award winning Cyril Neville found himself once again at the helm of the jam rock scene when he began fronting hipster funk group Galactic. The union with Galactic came immediately following a "Song of the Year" Blues Music Award for PEARL RIVER a song co-written with Mike Zito as well as after many accolades’ for NeviIle's 2009 MC Records release "Brand New Blues." Not to mention that Cyril is quite possibly the most soulful singer living on this planet. In 2011, Devon Allman and Mike Zito, two bandleader/guitarist who knew of each other from growing up and playing shows in and around in St. Louis, met with Cyril Neville in New Orleans and a Royal Southern Brotherhood was formed. Devon Allman and Mike Zito are two of the hottest guitarist on today’s Blues/Rock scene. There is no denying that Devon Allman's guitar style is reminiscent of his uncle Duane's but it's not the only influence that is evident. There is the soulfulness of Carlos Santana and his larger then rock style that takes him to the highest heights of today’s performers. Mike Zito comes from the slow melting school of the blues rock. Zito's style has been compared to Albert King, Walter Trout, and since the beginning of his recording career has shown more of a sense for the melody and song structure then many of his contemporaries. Devon Allman and Mike Zito are two heat seeking vocalist /guitar players that have found a place to land. With a bloodline and music lineage that flows from Professor Long Hair to Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell to Goverment Mule, Allman's southern JAM ROCK to the Neville Brother's SOUTHERN SOUL music, the ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD bring their thrilling new brand of blues-rock and white-hot musicianship from the Southern States onto the world stage.
