All Shows & Events
Thursday July 2nd
Zepperella
Welcome to Zepparella, four women intent on bringing the passion, the beauty, the aggression, the musicality of Led Zeppelin alive.
Zepparella delivers an explosive, emotional musical journey at every event. They take on the challenge of balancing their devotion to playing the songs as close to the original as possible, while taking advantage of their own musical communication and carrying the audience away on the ride.
The combination of personalities in Zepparella is something extraordinary. From the first time on stage there was such a strong musical connection that to the girls it felt like a homecoming. And in a musical career, that kind of connection may be the most elusive gift of all.
Doors: 8:00 PM
Friday 7/3... Musicians for Freedom:
Voice of Freedom Summit
7 PM, $15
Saturday 7/4... Welcome Back:
Tab Benoit
GRAMMY Nominated Guitarist and Louisiana Wetlands Activist Wins Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Awards.
With all the makings of an American music icon, Tab Benoit has become one of the premiere roots stylist of the century. Tab has paid his dues as a road troubadour playing 250 nights a year performing at venues across North America, honing his guitar chops and becoming part of Louisiana folklore and legend. Way down in the heart of steamy South Louisiana there's a run-down shotgun-style, brick building where magic is known to happen on any given night. Many of the town's people don't venture into the area, but those who do, order from a hand written menu containing such misspelled delicacies as "hot sawsage poboys" and "fried swimps",. After a good, greasy meal, they are treated to the most authentic blues around. It's here at Tabby's Blues Box and Heritage Hall in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Tab Benoit played to gain acceptance among the true blues fans and players of the down and dirty genre, while earning the customary thirteen dollars a night. "We weren't allowed to bring in our own equipment", Tab recalls. "We always just made do with what was there... that's the Blues Box way." Tab has fond memories of the leaky roof, the outdated PA system (a 1970's bass amplifier), and the appreciative crowd; a mixture of LSU students and neighborhood regulars. But mostly, he remembers a piece of advice from Tabby Thomas, the club's proprietor, who told him, "If you play the blues, you'll always have a job." Tab has taken Tabby's advice to heart, maintaining his blues roots while hitting the road--hard. For the past several years he's been performing his own brand of cajun rock 'n blues, night after night, while watching the size of his audience steadily increase. This grueling tour schedule has paid off, as he now plays for standing room only crowds across the country, from major music cities to small town blues bars. Born in Baton Rouge in November 1967 and raised in the oil and fishing town of Houma, Louisiana (where he lives to this day), Benoit barely remembers learning to play guitar. "I had a book that showed you how to play chords", he said. "After I learned the first three, I got rid of the book." Since that time, the music has seemed to come naturally to him. He began playing gigs around town -- weddings, local Cajun festivals, and rock and roll shows – anything to make a living and get the chance to play music. For Tab there was a natural progression from rock 'n roll to the 70's to the Cajun rock 'n blues he now plays since all of these genres are firmly rooted in the blues. He soon ventured off to New Orleans and met Barbara Becker, commonly known as B.B., and then manager of the Legendary Dr. John. She remembers the days when she would go see Tab and be the only person in the audience. When Justice Records president called her for a recommendation for an upcoming project, they set up a meeting at a local bowling alley (the now-famous Mid City Lanes - Rock 'n Bowl). Tab was playing there in a blues jam contest. Even though he came in third, it was his blues that got signed to participate on Justice's "Strike a Deep Chord: Blues Guitars for the Homeless". Everyone was so impressed with his contribution, a heartfelt blues number called "Nice and Warm", that they signed him to a multi album deal.
8:00pm
Tuesday 7/7/09
COMBO Showcase Featuring
Wil Key
The Gristle Gals
Double Down
Donations at the door
Friday 7/10...
Hell's Belles
AC/DC Tribute Band
World-famous and ready to rock, Hell's Belles is the premier all-female AC/DC tribute act, blowing all comers away. Playing ALL AC/DC, ALL the time, ALL over the globe, spanning all the pure rock brilliance of AC/DC's career (from "High Voltage" to "Back in Black" and beyond), HELL'S BELLES do justice to the Aussie legends with patented HELL'S BELLES devotion, precision and fury. Endorsed by Angus Young, himself (Blender Magazine, 2003), HELL'S BELLES are the closest one can get without actually moving to Australia and joining AC/DC's road crew. HELL'S BELLES formed in 2000, the brainchild of former member, Amy Stozenbach (guitar), alongside former member, Om Johari (vocals). The current 2005 line-up features original member Mandy Reed, rock ready and solid as Cliff Williams (bass guitar), Adrian Conner, dreadlock slinger and wicked player as Angus Young (lead guitar), Lisa Brisbois, sly and subtly intense as Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar), Melodie Zapata, heavy hitter as Phil Rudd (drums), and finally, grabbing both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson by the balls, confident and exuberant, the "New, Hot Belle," Jamie Nova (lead vocals).
HELL'S BELLES are about AC/DC! They're about the finest rock they've got to offer and they're about empowering women to get "up front" in rock. HELL'S BELLES go to great lengths to encourage women to play music, to get involved, and to grab and hold a piece of the action. Representing for a whole new generation of women that won't be intimidated, HELL'S BELLES actively support women-populated bands, by making sure to include them in shows and interviews whenever possible. Not some down-your-throat feminism, but a proactive support and action spirit towards the continued balancing of the gender scales. The hundreds and hundreds of shows HELL'S BELLES have played around the world, including Japan, Canada, and the good ol' USA (including Alaska), have become legendary nights of epic proportions. Sold-out, sexed-up, and starving for a little dynamite -- there's not a HELL'S BELLES audience that hasn't been blown away by the raw power and undeniable appeal that these BAD ASS BELLES serve hot. From "Live Wire" to "The Jack" to "TNT", it's an all out rock-n-roll assault that leaves you begging for more. And, more you'll get as HELL'S BELLES keep conquering new cities, new states, and new countries. They'll be in your back yard spreading the AC/DC new testament any day now. |
Doors: 8 PM
Saturday 8/1...
Hot Buttered Rum
Hot Buttered Rum, one of the hardest-working and fastest-rising stars in the musical firmament, has become, over the last five years, a group that is infinitely greater than the sum of its parts. It began with a core of uniquely talented musicians, writing and singing songs on the mountaintops and city streets of Northern California; musicians who, on the night they realized they loved playing together too much to ever stop, were sipping a warm buttery drink from which the group derived its name. Since that fateful night, the organization has steadily expanded to include a rich tapestry of fans, friends, and family, reaching from coast to coast.
Often described as a rock band playing bluegrass instruments, the band melds blues, folks, bluegrass, jazz, and rock, and the members' varying degrees of classical training lead them to invest heavily in group composition. The widespread appeal of HBR's music stems not only from the band's musical versatility and prolific songwriting, but also from the magnetic chemistry the group creates onstage together. It is this chemistry that is propelling the band to ever greater successTuesday 8/11... Blues Legend:
Johnny Winter
For over 30 years, Johnny Winter has been a guitar hero without equal. Signing to Columbia records in 1969, Johnny immediately laid out the blueprint for his fresh take on classic blues a prime combination for the legions of fans just discovering the blues via the likes of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton. Constantly shifting between simple country blues in the vein of Robert Johnson, to all-out electric slide guitar blues-rock, - Johnny has always been one of the most respected singers and guitar players in rock and the clear link between British blues-rock and American Southern rock (a la the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd.) Throughout the '70s and '80s, Johnny was the unofficial torch-bearer for the blues, championing and aiding the careers of his idols like Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker.
*Doors 7PM Show 8pm $20 Adv $22 Day of Show *Ages 16+ (unless accompanied by a guardian or parent)
Thursday 8/13...
Clint Black
If allowed only one word to describe Clint Black, "profound" would cover a
lot of bases. The artist has had a profound effect on the music industry,
not only through his own recordings, but also through the establishment of
his brainchild, Equity Music Group, a record company he co-founded in
2003.He is a profound, not to mention prolific, songwriter. To date, he has
written, recorded and released more than 100 songs, a benchmark in any
artist's career. An astounding one-third of the songs eligible for single
release achieved hit song status at country radio. As a musician, he
profoundly astounds -- he is an accomplished guitarist, and humbly describes
himself as proficient on drums, harmonica, bass guitar and any assortment of
percussion instruments.
Clint Black -- even his name evokes a deep sense of history and place in country music. The 1989 debut of his critically acclaimed and fan-endorsed Triple-platinum Killin' Time marked a subtle shift in the country music industry, and, thanks in part to Clint, a return to the more traditional sounds of the genre. CMT lists this album as one of the 100 Greatest Albums in Country Music. That album, from a then unknown Texas-based artist and writer, boasted five #1 hits (unprecedented in any music format), and won Clint a collection of awards that included: - Country Music Association Horizon Award- Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year- American Music Awards Favorite New Male Country Artist- Academy of Country Music Best New Male Vocalist- Academy of Country Music Best Male Vocalist- Academy of Country Music Album of the Year (Killin Time)- Academy of Country Music Single of the Year ("A Better Man")For Clint, this was only the beginning. The Triple-Platinum Put Yourself in My Shoes followed in 1990, and the ride continued.
To date, Clint has had nearly two dozen #1 hit singles, and almost as many Top 5 and Top 10 hits, all of them original compositions. The number of awards crowding his trophy shelf surpasses the number of hit records. And the number of music fans he has performed for in concerts through the years is staggering.Still, he keeps it fresh. When he felt that things were becoming a bit stale and feeling a certain sameness in the late 90's, he took a risk and shook things up by leaving his label of more than a decade, and taking a much needed break to reevaluate where he wanted to take his career. And more importantly, he and wife Lisa Hartman Black decided to start a family. The birth of daughter Lily Pearl gave Clint a new perspective and vigor that affected not only his personal life, but his professional and creative sides as well.Clint devoted his time to nurturing his little family, and his big career. In 2003, he decided the best course for that career was to start a record company that was artist-friendly, and would be not only home to his recordings, but to other artists of a like mind and approach.
Enter Equity Music Group. The release of Clint's highly anticipated first album for the label, Spend My Time, received great critical acclaim and gave the company the credibility it needed. The label proved itself to be a little scrapper, taking on the big corporations with a flair and success that earned it Billboard's #2 Independent Imprint of the Year and #4 Independent Label of the Year over all genres in 2006. In addition to Clint, the label is home to Little Big Town, whose first release for the label is already Platinum (and Billboard's #1 Artist and Album of the Year for 2006- all genres). Clint takes great pride in co-founding a label that has the reputation in the artist community of being a true partner in the best sense of the word. Besides Little Big Town, the label has attracted Laura Bryna, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Carolina Rain and Mark Wills to its roster, with the promise of much more, including the 2007 single from Clint, "The Strong One."Without a doubt, Clint Black has earned his place in country music. But he also has a clear eye set to its future. When pressed to accommodate, one word will do - but so many more are needed to adequately convey Clint's particular talents and extraordinary place in music.
Tickets On Sale Now!!!!
Friday 8/21... Comedians:
Neal Brennan (co-creator of "The Chappelle Show") & T.J. Miller (ABC's "The Carpoolers")
$15 / Doors 7PM Show 8PM / buy tickets here
Tuesday 9/22...
Jack Rose
8:00 pm
www.myspace.com/jackrosekensington
8/26/09
Culture w/ Beres Hammond
Formed in the rich tradition of harmony trios in 1976, Culture quickly became a part of the vibrant, politically charged Jamaican reggae scene of the day. Originally known as the African Disciples, the line-up consisted of Joseph Hill (lead vocals), Albert Walker (backing vocals) and Kenneth Dayes (backing vocals). Hill was the only member of the trio who had prior studio experience – having worked at Coxsone Dodd's legendary Studio One as a percussionist with the Soul Defenders group in the early 1970's. It was also at Studio One that Hill first recorded as a vocalist.
Shortly after Culture came together, they began working with the ‘Mighty Two' – producer Joe Gibbs and engineer Errol Thompson. While at Gibbs' studio, the singers recorded a series of powerful singles, many of which ended up on their successful debut album ‘Two Sevens Clash'. This initial release was hugely popular in both Jamaica and England. The lyrics demonstrated Hill's keen awareness of the connection between Jamaica's history and its current social climate. While the songs may have been dealing with serious issues, at the same time the group always recognized the value of a catchy beat – a sensibility shared by U.K. punks at the time. At once Culture became part of a wave of vocal groups (including the Mighty Diamonds, Black Uhuru, the Meditations and countless others) that ruled the reggae scene for a brief while in the late 70's.
After their success with Gibbs, the group went on to make a string of albums for producer Sonia Pottinger. Culture began working with some of the premier musicians of the day including Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar, Ansel Collins, Cedric Brooks and the ever-present percussionist Sticky. Virgin Records picked up the albums, and that added distribution enabled Culture to gain an even larger following outside of Jamaica. In recent months Virgin has begun re-issuing most of its reggae catalog from the late 70's, so once again these early Culture albums are readily available.
In 1982 the three singers went their own ways. Joseph Hill carried on using the Culture name, and recorded the ‘Lion Rock' album, which was released in the United States by Heartbeat Records. For their part, Walker and Dayes recorded a handful of songs on their own – a few of which turned up on an album titled ‘Roots & Culture'.
In 1986 the original line-up reformed to record two highly regarded albums – ‘Culture in Culture' and ‘Culture at Work'. These releases marked the beginning of a very busy period for the group, including annual albums and countless tours. The U.S. label Shanachie released a steady stream of new and old Culture albums up to 'Wings Of A Dove' in 1992.
In 1993 Kenneth Dayes left the group and was temporarily replaced by the singer from Dub Mystic – who was their backing band at the time. With Dub Mystic, Culture reached new heights that included the release of two popular studio albums (‘One Stone' and ‘Trust Me') and a live album (‘Cultural Livity').
Today, Culture consists of Hill, Walker and Telford Nelson. After a lengthy career on his own, Nelson joined on harmony vocals in 1999. In concert the group is currently backed by the DC based band ‘Forces of Justice'. These accomplished musicians have been behind Culture for many years, playing several well-received tours in Europe, Africa and North America.
Culture continues to be in demand in the studio as well. In 2000 the group recorded the album ‘Payday', which was followed by a much-praised dub album mixed by the renowned engineer, Scientist. In the same year a very contemporary sounding album called ‘Humble African' appeared on VP Records. Since then RAS Records have issued a CD and DVD set titled 'Live in Africa' - taken from a historic show the group performed in South Africa in December of 2000. The DVD, the group's first, offers proof of just how lively and intense a Culture performance can be. More recently, the US label Roots & Culture have released a live album recorded in Jamaica - 'Live in Negril'. In addition, the group have already recorded material for a new studio album - so fans can look forward to some fresh material later in 2003 (The 'World Peace' CD will be out on Heartbeat Records on June 17, 2003).
While Culture has now been around for 27 years, Joseph Hill and friends are showing no signs of slowing down. Hill has lost none of his striking stage presence and fiery energy over the years. The group has sustained their lengthy career by being both true to their cultural roots, and at the same time able to incorporate new sounds and ideas into their mix. To their credit the group has never been content to be a mere oldies act. Culture has proved to be one of the few acts in reggae that can always be relied on – both on record, and on stage. As reggae music goes, a Culture concert is both a tribute to the past and a glimpse of the future …. Not to mention a whole lot of fun!
2003, Jim Dooley
2006 UPDATE
Following the release of World Peace in 2003 Culture continued to actively tour around the world. In 2004 they played at the first edition of the highly successful Montreal Reggae Festival. Joseph Hill was inducted into the Reggae Walk of Fame, and was presented an Independence Award by the Jamaican Prime Minister in 2005. In 2006 the group performed a number of concerts including the 'Bob Marley 61st Birthday Celebration' in Ghana and Reggae Sunspash.
Joseph Hill suddenly became ill while the group were on tour in Europe and passed away in Berlin Germany on August 19 2006. The group decided to finish the European tour with Kenyatta Hill (Joseph's son and Culture's audio engineer) singing lead vocals as a tribute to his father. On September 8th a tribute concert took place in Kingston Jamaica and featured an all-star line-up of artists that ranged from Luciano to Bunny Wailer. A memorial service for Hill took place in Kingston the following day. Tentative plans are for Kenyatta Hill to continue to tour and record in his father's place with Culture.
Doors: 8:00 PM
ALSO VISIT US AT MYSPACE.COM/THEORIENTALTHEATER
