Virginia Key GrassRoots 2015 Music & Dance Festival

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Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Musisc & Dance 2015
From Virginia Key GrassRoots
The inclusive four-day arts and culture extravaganza known as the Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival of Music, Art and Dance will return to the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park (4020 Virginia Beach Drive Key Biscayne, FL 33149) Thursday, February 19, 2015 through Sunday, February 22, 2015. A week of camping, dance, cooking and movement workshops will precede the festival during GrassRoots Culture Camp, starting Sunday February 15th.

This year’s lineup will feature Rubblebucket, Marco Benevento, Keith Frank, AJ Ghent Band, Big Mean Sound Machine, Donna the Buffalo, Swear and Shake, Telekenetic Walrus, Danay Suárez, Morikeba Kouyate, Locos Por Juana, MC Yogi, Jim Lauderdale, the Spam Allstars, Afrobeta and 40+ other acts.

Rubblebucket is a Brooklyn, NY-based indie / dance band touring in support of their latest release Survival Sounds and their latest single “Carousel Ride.” They brand their music as a “mischievous, playful, boundary-smashing blast,” and their live shows have been known to cause mass dancing.

Marco Benevento is a New Jersey born and raised pianist whose influences run the gamut of indie rock, jam and post-rock/experimental. His latest effort Swift, released in 2014, is nine tracks of ambitious alternative jams with catchy hooks and pop-like melodies. He has previously toured with Phish’s Trey Anastasio.

Keith Frank stands at the forefront of the “nouveau zydeco” movement, his accordion prowess the product of a family tradition that began with his father, the great Preston Frank. His style is steeped in the rich tradition of North American and specifically, Louisiana Cajun zydeco music.

Lap steel guitar prodigy AJ Ghent is currently based in Atlanta, GA, but his six-piece band, a fusion of southern rock, blues, soul and funk, tours the southeast U.S. pretty extensively. They are currently working on their debut release.

Founded in 1989, Donna the Buffalo are a GrassRoots staple hailing from upstate New York. Their original roots music, hued by elements of Cajun, rock, folk reggae and country, travels well up and down the east coast throughout the year. They will be making their fourth appearance at the Virginia Key festival.

Danay Suárez, originally from La Habana, Cuba, has been generating a buzz throughout Latin America and Europe with her soulful voice, razor-sharp lyrics and innovative musical style. Performing since the age of 15, Suárez formed part of the Havana Cultura series, collaborating with various artists throughout the years. Danay recently released her third studio album Palabras Manuales, which includes a combination of hip hop, reggae, jazz and R&B sounds.

The Spam Allstars are a pioneering Latin funk act, the brainchild of DJ Le Spam, a composer, producer and musicologist. A Latin Grammy-nominated act, the band plays often in South Florida and beyond, appearing at both the NC and NY editions of the GrassRoots festivals. They are gearing up for the release of a new EP of material, slated for this spring.

The dance/pop/electro funk duo of Smurphio and Cuci Amador are better known as Afrobeta and have been heating up dance floors on both coasts of the U.S. since 2006. They recently issued a remix of their single called “Everywhere,” and new music from them is in the works.
Virginia Key GrassRoots 2015
Full Lineup:
Afrobeta
AJ Ghent Band
Big Mean Sound Machine
Bobbie Henrie
Brendan O’Hara
Chantil Dukart
Consortes
Cortadito
Danay Suarez
Dark Water Rising
DJ Bill Kelly
DJ Richard McVay
Donna the Buffalo
Driftwood
Elastic Bond
Electric Piquete
Ephniko
Fabi World Experience
Jim Lauderdale
Juke
Keith Frank & the Solieau Zydeco Band
Keith Secola & His Wild Band of Indians
Lanzallamas
Lobo Marino
Locos Por Juana
Marco Benevento
MC Yogi
Morikeba Kouyate
Nag Champyons
Nativos Orchestra
Nikki Talley
Osceola Brothers
Preston Frank
Richie Stearns & Rosie Newton
Rubblebucket
School of Rock
Sihasin
Sindy Rush
Spam Allstars
Suenalo
Swear & Shake
Tamboka
Telekinetic Walrus
The Apple Butter Express
The Baboons
The Blind Spots
Uma Galera
Uproot Hootenanny
Uruchamba
WildCat Creek
Zey Ta Blan
Zona De Bomba

This year, the non-profit Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival was awarded a $75,000 matching grant through The Knight Arts Challenge, in recognition of the dynamic support they provide to the arts community of South Florida, as well as the world class music they bring to the citizens and visitors that attend the festival. The Knight Arts Challenge Grant validates the work of the festival, which strives to grow community using the magnets of music, art and dance.

New for 2015, the GrassRoots Culture Camp will predate the festival itself, running Sunday, February 15th through Wednesday, February 18th, featuring yoga, instrument and cooking workshops, and more, ending each night with a daily family-style dinner and dance. Think beachside camping coupled with innovative workshops led by some of the GrassRoots Family’s greatest talent.

The festival will also feature the Zen Village Healing Arts area, the Kids Village, the Sustainability Fair and Expo, band and instrument contests, the Beer Garden & Vinyl Lounge, the GrassRoots World Café, live art, craft vendors, daily yoga session, beach camping and more.

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Video ~ Railroad Earth “Live at Red Rocks” DVD Trailer

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From Railroad Earth
“The full uncut sold out performance from Red Rocks 8/2/14 captured on video and in 5.1 surround sound, all on the first Railroad Earth DVD release ever! Almost 3 hours of footage shot by our friends at NoCoast is included, along with audio mixed by Jon Altschiller. It was a special night for the band and we’re very excited to be able to share it with everyone again.

Railroad Earth Live at Red Rocks will be released officially on 1/21/15, but starting today and until that date, we are offering it for a discounted price and the added bonus of an MP3 download of the show, newly remixed and remastered. See LiveRailroadEarth.com for more information and to place your pre order. Don’t miss out on the great opportunity to get not only the DVD but a download of the show as well for one price!”

Websites & Links: RailroadEarth.com | Facebook | YouTube | LiveRailroadEarth.com

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Lightning In A Bottle 2015 Announce Lead Visual Designer

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Lightning In A Bottle 2015

From LightningInABottle.org
“The Do LaB has announced that IS050 (Scott Hansen of Tycho) will be the lead visual designer for Lightning in a Bottle 2015, California’s premiere transformational music festival. ISO50 will have his clean, colorful touch on everything from the website to the lineup flyer.

Lightning in a Bottle just released their first image from IS050, who was given a blank canvas to showcase his unique design style and preview what is to come for next year’s festival. IS050’s design was built off a photo from photographer and friend Daniel Zetterstrom, whose photo was selected for its focus on individual experiences within a communal setting that has come embody LiB. Also, the water pail that one of the characters is holding signifies the festival’s connection to the environment and its role to improve/educate California amid the drought.

ISO50 also produces music under the name Tycho, creating dreamy atmospheric music that has garnered admiration from music critics and fans across the globe, highlighted by the release of one of 2014’s standout albums Awake.

The Do LaB has been a fan of Scott Hansen’s work, both musically and visually, for years and after performing at LiB as Tycho for the first time in 2013 Hansen immediately fell in love with the festival. In his own words:

“A lot of my friends have been going to LIB for years and I’ve always wanted to go. When we finally got a chance to play the festival I immediately felt a sense of community that was very inspiring. When LIB contacted me about designing some images for them it seemed like a perfect opportunity to apply the aesthetic I’ve been developing for Tycho to a physical space. I was really inspired by the images my friend, photographer Daniel Zetterstrom, had captured of the event the year prior and set about incorporating them into a sort of idealized vision of what a gathering of people around art and music could be. I tried to create images that felt less literal and more like the memories people would take away from the event.”

Stay tuned for full festival details for Lightning in a Bottle coming December 17th.”

Websites & Links: LightningInABottle.org | Facebook | Twitter

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Suwannee Springfest 2015 Dates and Initial Lineup Announced

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Suwannee Springfest 2015

From Suwannee Springfest
“On March 19-22, 2015, the 19th annual Suwannee Springfest kicks off the spring festival season at The Spirit Of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. A gem of a festival with beautiful early spring weather in a stunning natural setting, Suwannee Springfest 2015 is excited to announce a stand-out initial lineup with the Wood Brothers, Shovels and Rope, Infamous Stringdusters, Keller Williams & The Travelin’ McCourys, Blind Boys of Alabama, Larry Keel Experience, Donna The Buffalo, Jim Lauderdale, Joe Craven and Verlon Thompson. Tickets are on sale in advance starting Saturday, November 15th and will also be available gate.

Others on the initial lineup include The Seth Walker Band, Fruition, Town Mountain, Dread Clampitt, Jon Stickley Trio, Taylor Martin’s Acoustic Band, The Shook Twins, Shinyribs, Ralph Roddenbery Band, Cabinet,
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine, Grits & Soul, Sloppy Joe, The Josh Daniel/Mark Schimick Project, Steve Pruett’s Back from the Brink, Quartermoon, Okay Hay, Nikki Talley, Short Straw Pickers, and the Sarah Mac Band. Stay tuned for additions to the lineup as the event draws nearer.

Festivalgoers experience four days of superb music in the midst of a friendly, family-style environment with good times including music from usual festival favorites, as well as lots of talented new faces in Bluegrass & Newgrass, Acoustic Blues, Roots Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Cajun/Zydeco, New & Traditional Folk and other forms of American Roots music.

Get your tickets for Magnolia Fest now and save for $145 until 1/11; $165 until 2/15; $180 until 3/18 ($200 at the gate). Student / Military Ticket $145 Advance. Tickets are inclusive of all taxes and fees, and include 4 days of primitive camping and music Thursday – Sunday nights. Kids under 12 are invited to join for free. Attendees can also upgrade for a VIP Experience which includes a four-day ticket with primitive camping, dinners Thursday – Saturday evenings, a VIP Laminate, a swag bag with the festival poster, a cap, and other goodies for $300. If you purchase a VIP Ticket you will be entered into a drawing for a pair of upgraded All Access Passes.

Along with the camping, there are nearly 12 miles of trails suitable for hiking, biking, horseback riding and nature exploring. For RV hook ups, cabin rentals and golf cart rentals, please call SOSMP at (386)364-1683. SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events including Wannee, Magnolia Fest, Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival, Hulaween, and Aura Music Festival amongst others. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com or call them at 386-364-1683 for information.”

Suwannee Springfest Initial 2015 Lineup:
Wood Brothers
Shovels and Rope
Infamous Stringdusters
Keller Williams and The Travelin’ McCourys
Blind Boys of Alabama
Larry Keel Experience
Donna The Buffalo
Jim Lauderdale
Joe Craven
Verlon Thompson
The Seth Walker Band
Fruition
Town Mountain
Dread Clampitt
Jon Stickley Trio
Taylor Martin’s Acoustic Band
The Shook Twins
Shinyribs
Ralph Roddenbery Band
Cabinet
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine
Grits & Soul
Sloppy Joe
The Josh Daniel/Mark Schimick Project
Steve Pruett’s Back from the Brink
Quartermoon
OKay Hay
Nikki Talley
Short Straw Pickers
Sarah Mac Band

Websites & Links: SuwanneeSpringfest.com | Facebook

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The Disco Biscuits Release ‘The Classical Set’ on Vinyl

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Disco Biscuits - Classical Set

From Disco Biscuits
“On behalf of the entire Disco Biscuits organization, I couldn’t be happier to announce the official release of THE CLASSICAL SET….on vinyl (now available for preorder HERE ). This special afternoon show was performed on Aug 16, 2003 at a festival we put together in the mountains of Trade, Tennessee called “TranceMission.” The tracks consist of arrangements of some of the most famous classical pieces of music, mixed with some Biscuits classical-inspired originals. I vividly recall the band tearing through the sheet music of the conductor’s score and crafting our own unique four piece orchestration that still stayed true to the written music.

Though we have played some of these songs very rarely over the years, this is the only time we have performed them as one complete set, and that fluidity made it an instant fan favorite since the day it was first performed. An audience mic recording was the only thing available to document this performance…until now. Earlier in the year, the multi-tracked, grouped stems (individual recordings of each instrument) were discovered, and we knew immediately we had to have them polished for an official archive release. The stems were sent out for mixing and mastering to Jon Altschiller, who has the incredible talent of bringing live Biscuits performances back to life like he did with the releases Wind at Four to Fly, Rocket 3 and the TransFusion Radio series. The new mix was then sent out to one of the best mastering engineers in the country for vinyl, Scott Hull, who expertly de-noised and optimized the release for vinyl. This astonishing audio was then pressed to high quality, virgin 180g vinyl by RTI, Americas finest vinyl production facility pressing plant.

Why do I tell you all this? Because the results absolutely blew me away. I have listened to this recording many, many times, especially throughout the mixing and mastering process. We just wanted to get this release out there already. But when I sat down and heard the vinyl master for the first time, I was astonished. I couldn’t believe how captivating the recording was, and how immersed I became in the show; a show I had heard so many times before. There was new life to it. It was breathing. A portal back in time to that summer afternoon in 2003.

This limited edition, four side, official release has been set for November 28, but we are accepting pre-order reservations HERE that will ship out by mid-November. The release contains original artwork by Gwen AP, liner notes by Jon Lesser, a special bonus track on side 4, a download card redeemable for a free digital version of the album, and, for those who purchase via the pre-order before the end of October, a bonus item from our merch store.”

Roll over Beethoven…we’re rocking in 2 by 2.
-Aron Magner

The Classical Set – TranceMission, Trade, TN – August 16, 2003
1. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (5:47)
2. The Devil’s Waltz (10:12)
3. Sabre Dance (2:14)
4. The Thieving Magpie (8:20)
5. The Overture (14:08)
6. In The Hall of the Mountain King (4:15)
7. Waltz Of The Flowers (6:22)

Websites & Links: DiscoBiscuits.com | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

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