PLUS: Under the Radar Series!!

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American Aquarium

Hailing from Raleigh, NC, American Aquarium’s southern musical perspective is a blend of honest songwriting, an unwavering work ethic, and a genuine love of rock & roll. Whether you call it alt-country, Americana, or roots rock, one thing is for certain: Their music is a fresh voice that borrows from many forms of the American songbook.

The Atkinsons

The Atkinsons are a rockin' Americana band from Richmond, VA. Rooted in rock, touched by country, and rich in harmonies, The Atkinsons merge their signature sound with bittersweet tales of woe and heartbreak. Their originals are written with a hardcore honesty that chronicles America's lost and lonely souls and their life struggles and turmoil.

Big Daddy Love

Big Daddy Love brings a natural blend of jam, grass, roots and rock to the music scene. With fiery vocals, sweet-sugary harmonies, authentic song-craft, and undeniable musicianship, the quintet delivers high-energy performances comprised of their own brand of good-time music. Genuine and intensely personal lyrics captivate and connect.

The Corduroy Road

The Corduroy Road has melded bluegrass, Americana, folk rock, and old-time country with the rawest of live performances. "An aggressive touring schedule, emotive songwriting, and the band’s commitment to performing down home, honest music has established The Corduroy Road as a buzzworthy band on the indie roots rock scene." -Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine

Diane Durrett Band

With a blend of raw soulful vocals, sultry tones and strong original songs Durrett has sung with or opened for Sting, Tina Turner, Delbert McClinton, The Indigo Girls, Faith Hill, Patty Loveless, Gregg Allman and Derek Trucks.

Do It to Julia

Do it to Julia is a five-piece folk-rock band formed in Boone, NC. With crisp male and female vocal harmonies and lyrics that range from narrative storytelling to ironic social and political statements, the band has become known throughout the south east for a sound that moves from melodic pop to experimental ambiance.

Doco

Based in Raleigh, NC, Doco blends a variety of genres including rock, reggae, hip hop, and funk. The result is fresh. The songs emit a tight, head bobbing groove, and are laced with witty lyrics and catchy riffs. The live show is energized, raw, and always a party.

Dot Line Projekt

The Dot Line Projekt sound is a unique blend of Psychedelic Power Grooves, Rock'n Roll, and Improv Jams with Intention. The original music is defined by their cutting edge sound and insightful clever lyrics with carefully adapted covers rounding out the collection.

Electric Codpiece

Vibrant, high energy, eclectic performances remind audiences not to take life too seriously - and to always dance and embrace the freedom of music. Electric Codpiece's music explores rock, reggae, psychedelic, and improv jams with a southern sensibility uniquely their own. Full throttle and wide open from start to finish this band always brings the show.

Farm Vegas

Farm Vegas is from the music-rich riverbeds of Richmond Virginia. This band conveys a raw energy from the core, with a reputation based on an electrifying stage show.

Funkuponya

These four men have gotten together on a united cause - exploring funk for the good of the humankind. Funk has many forms, but what it all comes down to is does it make you groove. That is where we come in, ain't no cure once da funkuponya!

Galen Kipar Project

This small-scale symphony from Asheville, NC is smart, daring, and unashamed to own up to its folk, blues, classical and jazz roots. With the care and meticulousness of a gourmet chef, the GKP cooks up melodies and arrangements that defy expectations. “In the words of Tina Fey, when I hear the sounds of this nearby world, "I want to go to there." David Gans, Host of “Greatful Dead Hour,” musician, writer. Oakland, CA. Keep an eye out for the brand new 2010 album!

The Honey Dewdrops

Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish are the Honey Dewdrops: a nationally touring and award winning husband and wife duet who perform fresh, original songs focusing on vocal harmonies and tight instrumentation.

Jason Spooner Trio

Start with a prolific singer/songwriter (Jason Spooner) with heavy roots, folk & blues influences. Mix in a classicly-trained bassist (Adam Frederick) with foundations in jazz and a knack for pocket grooves. Lastly, shake things up with a rock-solid drummer (Reed Chambers) with deep-seeded roots in funk, soul & reggae and you’ve begun to scratch the surface of this unique, energetic band.

Jesse Chong Band

Jesse Chong hails from Virginia Beach, VA where he is a master of the game. His broad appeal has allowed him to open for a wide variety of artists, including Steely Dan, Leon Russell, Neville Brothers, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, the Wailers, Perpetual Groove, RAQ, and Norah Jones. His impeccable musicianship and excellent songwriting is received enthusiastically by all audiences.

Joe Pitts Band

Powerhouse and multi-talented guitarist Joe Pitts is pulling influences from yesterday into todayJoe is becoming known worldwide for his slide guitar work. He uses his slide work to create tone-filled licks that glide and soar over the music. Joe is also heavily inside the groove with really funky rhythmic improvisations.

Johnson's Crossroad

Johnson's Crossroad is taking their love of the old time mountain music, bluegrass, and the Texas singer/songwriters of the 1970's and putting their own stamp on the ever widening and increasingly popular 'Americana' genre. The debut album "Blood in Black and White" is steeped in the traditional country themes of lost love, lost fortune, lost time, and overcoming hardships. Johnson's Crossroad have clearly found a unique voice.

Lefty Williams Band

Not just a great one-armed guitar player, a great guitar player! We fall for Williams’ powerful guitar licks and candid songs, often long before the origin of his nickname—he was born without a right hand—is clear. And by then, it’s just another dimension to his talent.

Lingo

Whether it is the mixture of the subtle acoustic guitar accompanied by the flair of the electric guitar, the unique vocals that capture your attention or the prominent bass and percussion that add their own signatures, it is clear that Lingo's music has tapped into something unique and special.

Mitch Barrett

Winner of the 2009 Telluride Troubadour Competition, 'Appalachianfunkyrastafolksy-bluesman' Mitch Barrett is Kentucky’s most awarded singer songwriter. From channeling the inner voice of a truck-stop waitress, a mountain boy seeking spirituality or a socially and environmentally-charged activist, Mitch draws from his Appalachian heritage in celebrating the joys and the struggles of everyday life through his music.

The Mumbles

The Mumbles are a Brooklyn, NY-based three piece who blend singer-songwriter soul with avante and old time jazz. Asses will shake as life-affirming mantras are repeated. A tiny band with a mighty sound.

Pedro Arevalo

"Pedro Arevalo is one of the most prolific song writers & story tellers I have seen in a long time. As soon as I heard him, I had to have him in my band" - Dickey Betts

Ralph Roddenbery Band

The Ralph Roddenbery Band is a dynamic blend of Americana, roots rock, and a twist of the blues. By combining four part harmonies with energizing riffs, captivating lyrics, remarkable stage presence and a driving rhythm section, RRB is able to connect with their audience in a way that makes them feel as if they are having a one on one conversation about life.

Shortwave Society

Shortwave Society fuses elements from orchestral and electronic soundscapes to create a unique accompaniment to their off-kilter pop songs. Violin, cello, and a sea of vocals weave intricate tapestries while guitar and pianos pulse, and electronic bleeps and blips fill every nook and cranny of your subconscious.

Travis Elliott

Travis Elliott has taken on songwriting subjects from love to spaceships, both badly in need of repair. He throws in unforgeable
melodic hooks that keep you singing long after his performance has ended. His first EP was hailed as "a modern rock epic." From weekly gigs in his hometown of Charlottesville, VA to national summer tours, Elliott is fast becoming an artist that deserves attention.

The Wave

The Wave is a young but seasoned rock group, a fresh hard-driving band out of Virginia’s cradle of original rock, the Charlottesville Matrix. Headed by lyrical sage and guitar wizard Willie DE and backed by the punching/counter-punching percussions of Avery Sandridge, the mercury mobile bass parts of Simon Evans, and the mellow side-winder sax work of Sky Young, The Wave blends basic blues with soar and dive sorties that keep the audience up and dancing—and their spirit-minds in motion too.

As our loyal FloydFesters know, FloydFest goes on RAIN or SHINE.

performers

The Levon Helm Band

If there could be such a thing as royalty in the oh-so-democratic realm of Americana music, Levon Helm would certainly have a throne of his own. As drummer and frequent vocalist for The Band, his place in rock history is chiseled in granite. But Helm didn’t rest on his laurels after The Band’s demise. After fighting back from a nearly fatal bout of throat cancer, Helm released a solo album in 2007 - Dirt Farmer. It earned him a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. www.levonhelm.com

Railroad Earth

It is our distinct pleasure in having Railroad Earth join us again in 2010. Railroad Earth combines elements of bluegrass, rock and roll, jazz, celtic and more to create a unique, unclassifiable sound that we love. Their name stems from the Jack Kerouac short story "October in the Railroad Earth," and the band has a song by the same name. This roots and Americana-based jamband from Stillwater, New Jersey is known for its extensive live improvisation and lyrical songwriting with an acoustic base. www.railroadearth.com

JJ Grey & Mofro

From gritty funk and juke joint romps to contemplative country soul and blistering rockers, Grey’s music is in a class by itself, at once contemporary and classic. Now, with his latest release, ORANGE BLOSSOMS, JJ Grey will bring his singular musical vision and hip-shaking, soulful live show to his ever-growing fan base, showing how his songs speak to people all over the world and how far-reaching his Southern roots can spread. www.mofro.net

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

From a pressure cooker of rhythm, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe brings forth the most delicious variety of grooves ever sampled by a listener’s feet. Led by Karl Denson, who over the past 15 years has collaborated with such luminaries as Lenny Kravitz and The Greyboy Allstars, the Tiny Universe creates a dynamic sound that defies categorization. The band members, Denson on vocals, tenor and alto sax and flute, guitarist Brian Jordan, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboard player David Veith, trumpet player Chris Littlefield and drummer John Staten, have earned a reputation as kings of the unstoppable all-night show. http://karldenson.us/

Soulive

Soulive is a funk/jazz trio that is known for its solos and groovy, upbeat songs. Over the past 10 years, they have covered a lot of ground – musically and literally. Not many bands can say they’ve recorded with Chaka Khan, Dave Matthews, Talib Kweli and John Scofield. Nor can many bands open for The Rolling Stones on one tour
and have Stevie Wonder sit in with them on the next tour. Musically, there is not much the band hasn’t done. www.soulive.com

Blue King Brown

Hailed by Santana as the “The voice of the street and the band of the future!" This 8 to 11 piece powerhouse band brings their cross generational grooves and socially conscious sound. The infectious energy and passion is a driving musical force that has led BKB through an impressive touring history playing major festivals and venues all over the world. BKB continue to deliver their now world renowned power packed live show featuring their home-grown, universally spoken language, delivered as hard hitting Urban Roots music. www.bluekingbrown.com

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba

Bassekou Kouyate is a virtuoso of the ngoni (West African lute), approximating the larger kora (West African harp) in sound but with a tougher, more percussive edge. The ngoni is one of Africa’s secrets still to be discovered. It is the key instrument for the griot culture. Kouyate's band, Ngoni Ba ("the big ngoni") is a quartet of ngoni players—treble, mid range and bass—augmented by Kouyate's wife, Ami Sacko, on lead vocals. www.myspace.com/bassekoukouyate

Konono No 1

Konono N°1 was founded 25+ years ago by Mingiedi, a virtuoso of the likembé (a traditional instrument also called a "thumb piano", consisting of metal rods attached to a resonator). The band's lineup includes 3 likembés and a rhythm section which uses traditional and makeshift percussion (pans, pots and car parts), 3 singers, 3 dancers and a sound system featuring these famous megaphones.
http://www.concertedefforts.com/home/roster/konono-n1/

Eric Krasno & Chapter 2

Eric Krasno is a founding member of Soulive and hip-hop production team Fyre Dept. Chapter 2 is the next phase in the story of Eric and his longtime collaborator, drummer Adam Deitch, alongside vocalist and keyboardist Nigel Hall and bassist Louis Cato. http://www.royalfamilyrecords.com/chapter2

The Pimps of Joytime

The Pimps of Joytime are a multi-ethnic group that hits all the marks and crosses all the barriers, bridging the gap between underground funk, soul, pop, dance, afrobeat and latin, filling every song with soulful harmonies and uplifting vibes. Somehow, The PJT’s found a way to put a modern twist on a retro sound, creating dirty, ass-shakin’ grooves like no one else out there. www.thepimpsofjoytime.com

Mountain Heart

Mountain Heart deftly combines elements of rock, jamband, country, blues, jazz, and bluegrass into a high-energy sound that is at once fresh, accessible, and unmistakeable. Mountain Heart, or members of the band, have either won or been nominated for multiple Grammys, ACM, CMA, and IBMA Awards. http://www.mountainheart.com/

Rockridge Brothers

In 2002 four musicians got together in Stockholm, Sweden, to make a bluegrass soundtrack for a movie. Right away they felt the need to make something more out of this newly formed combo. Pooling their different musical experiences, ranging from country to punk, they found common ground in old time string music, feeding their own high-energy interpretations right back into that tradition. Tthe Rockridge Brothers have since been touring Europe & USA, bringing the very best of hillbilly style mountain music to everybody they meet. www.rockridgebrothers.com

The Low Anthem

Their mutual interests in Americana, baseball, and morally agnostic narrative necessitated the formation of The Low Anthem. The Low Anthem have recorded three full-length records, toured extensively with over 100 shows in 2007, won Best Album of 2008 from the Providence Phoenix, received national radio play, and have a devoted fanbase across the Northeast and beyond. " In 2009, the band performed at South by Southwest, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. www.thelowanthem.com

Cornmeal

Cornmeal continues to forge a path all their own, pushing the boundaries of bluegrass, Americana and folk for a whole new generation of music lovers. Steeped in the tradition of musical acts such as Old and in the Way, John Hartford, and New Grass Revival, Cornmeal has proven to be an influential presence in the world of roots music. http://www.cornmealinthekitchen.com/

Flam Chen

Flam Chen is a pyrotechnic theater troupe with a repertoire spanning over 12 years and 1,500 performances worldwide. Flam Chen has innovated a new form of extreme theater, utilizing aspects of circus, martial arts, dance, ritual, aerial acrobatics, stilt-walking, installation art and physical theater to create unique panoramas of spectacle and narrative unlike anything you have ever seen. www.flamchen.com

Joe Pug

The day before his senior year as a playwright student at UNC, Joe Pug sat down for a cup of coffee and had the clearest thought of his life: I am profoundly unhappy here. He picked up the guitar again and in 2008, Pug released the Nation of Heat EP, which has established him as one of the most respected songwriters of his generation. He has since played shows with Steve Earle, Susan Tedeschi and Robert Randolph. www.joepugmusic.com

Spiral

Kissed by stardust from the rings of Saturn, Vivian became Spiral and was thereby inspired to create a unique, mesmerizing style of hoop dance. Part whirling dervish, circus artist, modern dancer, yogi and acrobat, her life was forever transformed by a love for circles and an affinity for revolutionary motion. Her engaging performances have wowed audiences from the catwalk in Hong Kong to nightclubs in Vienna. Her skills include hoop manipulation, contact juggling, fire dance, aerial silks and lyra (aerial hoop). She performs and teaches all over the globe. FloydFest is thrilled to have the magic of Spiral with us again in 2010. Be sure to catch her dazzling performances throughout the event on and off stage and learn the art of hooping at one of her many workshops. http://spiralcircusarts.com/

Bearfoot

Bearfoot is an Alaska-based band creating its own brand of acoustic Americana. They combine their roots in bluegrass, folk, jazz, and old-time music with outstanding instrumental and vocal prowess. Their fresh sound features emotive songwriting and creative arrangements, with three female vocalists captivating and luring in the audience with their tight harmonies and expressive singing. www.bearfootband.com

The Wiyos

Drawing from a vast spectrum of traditional American rural and urban roots music, the internationally acclaimed, Brooklyn-based quartet, the Wiyos, craft a startingly fresh yet strangely familiar sound. The New Yorker says "the group brings exuberance and intensity to these vintage styles, and its performances are layered with vaudevillian stage antics." www.thewiyos.com

Adrienne Young

Folk-country musician Adrienne Young is a big supporter of community gardens and sustainable farming. She won a Grammy nomination for packaging for putting complimentary packets of wildflower seeds in her cds. She plays banjo and guitar, and writes most of her own songs. She has pretty much carved out a music career single-handedly, becoming something of a darling of the folk-bluegrass-country set. www.adrienneyoung.com

R.I.S.E.

R.I.S.E. (Rising Appalachia) is a genre-bending force of sound that uses both lyrical prowess and diverse artistic collaborations to defy cultural clichés and ignite a musical revolution. With the fusion of world folk music traditions and fierce original composition, they strive to put a spotlight on injustice while uniting people through harmony and community engagement. www.myspace.com/risingappalachia

Dangermuffin

Sometimes a band sticks in your mind like good batter sticks to your ribs. A memorable name helps, and Dangermuffin is no pushover of a moniker. But it's the round-the-fire looseness, yet still polished groove, that leaves the Charleston-based trio's catchy hooks lingering in our ears. Dangermuffin is delicious from the first bite, but be certain to give a closer listen to the depth of songwriter Dan Lotti's lyrics. www.dangermuffinmusic.com

Miss Tess & the Bon Ton Parade

Miss Tess is a Boston-based singer-songwriter, who tours regularly with her band, as "Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade". After performing on stages for the last five years, Miss Tess has just released her anticipated fifth album, “Darling, oh Darling”. The album presents an ecclectic array of originals, all stemming from roots in jazz, swing, blues, and folk. www.misstessmusic.com

Christabel and the Jons

Christabel & the Jons has been performing their distinctive style of folky swing since the spring of 2005. Old suitcases and vintage clothes from the 1920s-1950s give the performance a nostalgic ambiance, but it’s the songs that really captivate. Lead singer and songwriter Christa DeCicco is earning a reputation as one of the southeast’s finest laid-back jazz singers. www.christabelmusic.com

Boulder Acoustic Society

Old school but never old, Boulder Acoustic Society is the new wave of American roots music. It's what happens when four songwriters get together to mash up blues, folk, gospel, indie and world music to soothe their musical curiosity. The unique lineup of violin, accordion, bass and percussion support sharp vocal hooks and powerful grooves. All of this comes from four guys who wear vintage clothes, savor small batch bourbon and rock the ukulele. www.boulderacousticsociety.net

Holy Ghost Tent Revival

Stephen Murray plays the banjo and guitar, Matt Martin plays the guitar and banjo, Josh Lovings plays the trumpet, Hank Widmer plays the trombone and euphonium, Patrick Leslie plays the bass, Ross Montsinger plays the drums. Greensboro plays the hometown, Friends play the harmony, Love plays the inspiration, Fate plays the compass, and the Music plays itself. www.holyghosttentrevival.com

Packway Handle Band

Theirs is not a mission to preserve historical styles—it’s just how they do what they do the best. And what they do best is rooted in thought provoking songwriting, clever choice and arrangement of bluegrass traditionals, and totally unexpected (even totally inappropriate) covers, all delivered with a crackling energy. www.packwayhandle.com

Alexis P. Suter Band

A true vocal phenomenon, Suter has been astounding audiences up and down the east coast backed by her tight, soul-rocking ensemble. Alexis P. Suter is a rising star on the roots, blues and soul scene, performing in Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble Sessions. Her powerful bass/baritone voice, seasoned with raw emotion and a wide streak of attitude, will be tearing up the dance floor. www.alexispsuter.com

Soulhound

Soulhound has been described as “part James Brown funk, part Stevie Wonder soul, with the lyrical voice of Robert Bradley, all thrown in with some groovin' bass lines and powerful guitars.” Clearly, Soulhound are inspired disciples of the groove-oriented R&B, Soul and greasy Funk of the late sixties and seventies. Music to shake your Tic-Tacs to! www.soulhound.com

Two Man Gentlemen Band

The Two Man Gentlemen Band’s original brand of raucous, retro vaudevillian swing is fast becoming an underground sensation. The Gentlemen’s memorable, pithy compositions combine the sounds of hot jazz, vintage rhythm & blues, and tin-pan alley with boundless energy and enthusiasm. www.thetwogentlemen.com

The Mantras

The Mantras perform high energy psychedelic rock. Peminiscent of the blistering energy found in early seventies recordings of Frank Zappa's touring band, the Mantras excel with their virtuosic playing and superior musicianship, all the while not losing sight of the overall arrangements and songs. www.themantras.net

Sol Driven Train

Sol Driven Train is a band in motion. Perpetually piling on and off the bus, the momentum of their hard work and heart-felt music propels the group upward. Stylistically the band “seamlessly mixes Allmanesque Southern rock, languid world-beat, swampy funk and downright catchy melodies as they swap lead singers and instruments. A punchy horn section adds an extra dimension of sweaty soul to the genre-blurring jam party” (Atlanta Creative Loafing, 11/21/06). www.soldriventrain.com

William Walter & Co.

Please welcome back William Walter & Co, the FloydFest 2008 Under the Radar Artist. William Walter & Co loves making music. Comfortable in the studio and onstage, the band puts on an energetic live show and has as much as fun as the audience. The band's unique sound combines high-energy folk/funk music with lots of room for deep solos and exploration. The ability to continually reinvent their sets keeps the material fresh and gives listeners exciting musical experiences. www.williamwalterandco.com

Thunderdrums

Tribal electronica fused through world-beat percussion in a unique fashion, that is Thunderdrums. Looping unlike most audiences have ever seen is this melding of organic percussive instrumentation with electronic nuance brings Frank Bloom to the crossroads of tribal, trance, house, drum-n-bass compositions that have audiences all over on their feet and wanting more. www.reverbnation.com/thunderdrums

Papadosio

Some music, because of its originality, timelessness, or mass appeal,, will always be destined for the hallowed halls of cult classicism. No band fits this criteria better than Papadosio. Their music is all about unexpected combinations - from Rock/House to Jazz/Hop to Dub/Breaks, every song has a unique approach to attaining originality. an amplified message of transcendence, unity, and universal understanding, Papadosio's mission is clear: To combine eclectic musical traditions with modern Electronica to stir the heart and fuel the mind. www.papadosio.com

Folk Soul Revival

Folk Soul Revival is an upbeat, rootsy acoustic group from the mountains of Appalachia. Their diversity, creativity and passion is evident among those who have witnessed the boys hone their craft onstage. With their distinct vocal approaches, back-porch instrumentation, haunting four-part harmonies and sheer talent, the boys have garnered much success and have attracted a large following. www.myspace.com/folksoulrevival

The Barefoot Movement

The Barefoot Movement is an acoustic trio, taking folk music somewhere new without forgetting the old. The group fuses the styles of bluegrass, old-time, Americana, and rock, creating an eclectic, original sound, featuring interweaving harmonies, progressive instrumentation, and accomplished songwriting. They bring listeners something they can relate to-something they can truly understand. The Barefoot Movement is contagious. http://barefoot-movement.com

3 Minute Lovin

Rock and Roll was born out of the Bakersfield sound. 3 Minute Lovin' is dedicated to reviving that sound in classic old-school and new music that retains the boogie and twang energy of the roots of rock. www.3minutelovin.com