MOONSHINE & DEMOCRATS
Roanoke City Democratic Committee’s Annual Fundraiser is happening on August 31st at 5 Points Music Sanctuary! Expect a fun evening of swing music, spectacular guests, delicious snacks, and, of course, local moonshine!
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets will be limited so make sure and get yours early! If you purchase a sponsor ticket, please contact us through Facebook, or contact Ryan LaFountain at treasurer@roanokedems.com so we can get your name the way you want it in the program!
Monies raised will go to the Roanoke City Committee, Salem City Committee, and Virginia House of Delegate candidates and state Senate candidates throughout Southwest Virginia.
BIG LICK CONSPIRACY
Big Lick Conspiracy is Roanoke, Virginia’s only professional improv troupe. Making up hilarious scenes on the spot using audience suggestions. Think of it as cheap group therapy!
REBIRTH BRASS BAND
Whether seen on HBO’s Treme or at their legendary Tuesday night gig at The Maple Leaf, Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band is a true New Orleans institution. Formed in 1983 by the Frazier brothers, the band has evolved from playing the streets of the French Quarter to playing festivals and stages all over the world. While committed to upholding the tradition of brass bands, they have also extended themselves into the realms of funk and hip-hop to create their signature sound. “Rebirth can be precise whenever it wants to,” says The New York Times, “but it’s more like a party than a machine. It’s a working model of the New Orleans musical ethos: as long as everybody knows what they’re doing, anyone can cut loose.” In the wake of the sometimes-stringent competition among New Orleans brass bands, Rebirth is the undisputed leader of the pack, and they show no signs of slowing down.
VIEUX FARKA TOURE w. CHEICK HAMALA DIABATE
The son of Malian music royalty, the legendary Ali Farka Toure, Vieux Farka Touré is often referred to as the Hendrix of the Sahara, a title meant more to convey the point that the man is a brilliant guitarist than to suggest that there’s anything remotely Hendrix-esque about his playing (which there isn’t). He’s an altogether different kind of awe-inspiring.
“His playing is clean, fast and fluid, notes arriving in flurries. And Sunday’s performance with his world-music trio afforded the guitarist ample opportunity to show you just how fast and fluid he can be. Before his set was through, he had the crowd singing along in African to one song and dancing wildly to his closing number.” —AZ Central
NIGHTS OF GRIEF AND MYSTERY
We have an idea where the monsters are. That’s where we’re headed. Friends are forged on the dark road headed out of town, and so we head there again, sojourning across North America and the United Kingdom in the name of psychic sanity and spiritual resolve in these most troubled and troubling of times. These are nights in which love letters to life are written and read aloud. There’s some boldness in them. They have that tone. These nights have the mark of our time upon them, and they’re timely, urgent, alert, steeped in mortal mystery. They’re quixotic. They have swagger. What would you call such a thing? We call them Nights of Grief & Mystery.
Part poetry, part lamentation, part book reading, part ribaldry, part concert, part lifting the mortal veil and learning the mysteries there…that’s what’s in store.
MACHINE FUNK w. MAD IGUANAS
Machine Funk “Tribute to Widespread Panic” is the nation’s premier Widespread Panic Tribute band. Formed in South Carolina in 2006, the band has toured the southeast for the last thirteen years. Night after night their set lists are never the same, having over 150 songs in their repertoire you will not see the same show twice. They also include songs from Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Talking Heads and many others. Machine Funk has shared the stage with musicians from The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, North Mississippi Allstars, Randall Bramblett, and Jojo Hermann of Widespread Panic. Each show is a musical journey that can’t be explained, only experienced!
LARRY KEEL EXPERIENCE
Larry Keel is described by music critics and reviewers as the most powerful, innovative and all-out exhilarating acoustic flatpicking guitarist performing today. Keel has absorbed the best lessons from his Bluegrass family upbringing, both sides deeply steeped in the rich mountain music culture and heritage of Southwest Virginia. From there, he has always integrated that solid musical grounding and natural-born talent with his own incomparable approach to playing amplified, acoustic guitar and composing original music. He’s also got a knack for choosing interesting and appealing material from all realms of music with guts, whether it’s a tune written by a fellow song-writer/musician friend, or a surprise cover from any number of musical acts all over the map. The combination is pretty irresistible, and has earned Keel the highest respect and billing among the top acoustic and jam rock musicians alive, and some now gone: Tony Rice, Chris Thile, Steve Martin, Tim O’Brien, Vassar Clements, Sam Bush, Del McCoury, John Hartford, Bill Monroe, Peter Rowan, and Danny Barnes to name a few. And his fierce, high-spirited energy also appeals to young rockers, jammers and alt-country pickers and fans who are equally drawn to Keel’s blazing guitar power, the deep rumbling voice, his earthy and expansive song-writing, and his down-home-gritty-good-time charm. Keel convenes and collaborates with JamBand and Rock giants Greensky Bluegrass, Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, David Nelson, Little Feat, Railroad Earth, String Cheese Incident, Fruition and Leftover Salmon, among others.
DARKSIDE EXPERIENCE
Pink Floyd has long resonated as one of the greatest pioneer groups in classic rock. The landscapes and dreams they generated with their music have touched numerous generations with a longevity that still finds new ears. Their songs have touched countless hearts, shaped blissful experiences, and etched memories deeply into our souls. The Darkside Experience was born out of a mutual love and respect for the music of Pink Floyd. The band is excited to bring the life and experience of Pink Floyd’s music to the area in a live arena with some of the valley’s most talented musicians!
WAVY TRAIN
The Wavy Train concept was first born in August 1995 in Charlotte, NC after the death of Jerry Garcia. Founding members Chris Caudle (lead guitar) & Cal Comerford (Rhythm Guitar) went to the Garcia memorial in Charlotte’s Freedom Park with acoustic guitars as young pups and began playing Grateful Dead tunes. Inspired from the experience, Cal & Chris enlisted college friends John “Johnny D” Dimier (bass guitar) and Rob Armstrong (keyboards) to begin what was to become Wavy Train. The name was taken from the infamous prankster Wavy Gravy and combined with the words “….we’re riding the Gravy Train.” from the end of Pink Floyd’s Have A Cigar. Tom Stanfel (Drums) and Stefan Hawkins (Percussion) were added in 1996. Our first show was August 9th, 1996 at Morey’s Deli. We were a Grateful Dead cover band, at the start and added shows at Fat Tuesday, Jack Straw’s, and Fat City. In 1997, Chris left Charlotte and Jason Byrd joined the band as lead guitarist, singer and song writer. In 1997, Marcus Farrar (Other People) replaced Tom on Drums. This was the lineup that began to experiment with original music. In 1999 Marcus left for NYC and Ben Speir joined the band on drums. This is the point Wavy Train began to get serious with original music. At the end of 2000, Wavy Train began recording 3 live shows at Visulite Theatre, in Charlotte, which was later released as a full length live album titled One Big Happy Accident. This was their first all original albums and was released in the summer of 2001. During 2001-2002, Wavy Train played from Asheville to DC to Charleston. In 2001, Jason moved to Maryland. In 2011 the band has reunited with new material and Jason Hawthorn on lead guitar and vocals. The band is currently working on a studio album with possible title All The Way Up. They have returned to playing live shows on a regular basis.