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 Bass Culture is a weekly event featuring DJs Jahson, Nickel B, and special guests performing a mix of dubstep, house, and other bass driven music every Tuesday at Club Metronome. Nickel B gets it on with a diverse tune selection complemented by precise mixing, scratching, and MC skills. An adept of many genres, he performs a unique blend of dubstep, reggae, house, and downtempo music that can be universally appreciated. A member of Itation Sound System and co-founder of the award winning label Itation Records, Nickel B has contributed to over 50 successful international releases for major recording artists such as Freddie McGregor, Missy Elliot, Jazmine Sullivan, Sizzla, and Wayne Wonder- some winning industry awards including a 2009 Grammy Nomination.
Jahson started DJing in the early nineties. Always with a deep love of music growing up, his first gigs were playing techno at house parties in Boston. After moving to Vermont a few years later, he partnered with long time friends to form Solomonic Sound System, specializing in roots and culture reggae dancehall.He has provided dj support at concerts for artists like Sizzla, Luciano, Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, Warrior King, and K’naan, and more. He also regularly works with artists in Jamaica to voice exclusive Dub Plates for Solomonic. His other current local residency, SPACE ECHO, is the first Saturday monthly at 1/2 lounge, featuring reggae, dub, and downtempo. With a love for all forms of bass driven music, including reggae, dub, downtempo, dub+deep+tech house, and dubstep, Jahson brings his exclusive selections and sound boy history to the ‘tables’ wherever he goes.
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The swelling beats of a non-stop dance party and the soaring guitar and melodic triumphs of a cathartic rock experience – equal elements to the live instrumental dance rock of LOTUS. Sending huge crowds into a sweat-drenched euphoria at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Ultra, Rothbury, Nocturnal, All Good and Nateva, the band has become a sought after late-night act. And word has spread as Lotus has packed the country’s finest clubs and theaters during their busy touring schedule. The album Hammerstrike and the two follow-up EPs, Oil on Glass/Feather on Wood, show the multiple sides of Lotus. Slow-building guitar driven compositions complimented by music leaning toward harder beats and electronic textures working together to form a cohesive whole. Always pushing forward, the band has been writing, performing and recording new music throughout the year developing new sounds and expanding their unique musical voice. The epic light show and pounding beats may be club inspired, but the band’s ability to connect with the audience through emotive composition and dynamic improvisation pushes performances past the elusive barrier dividing concert and experience. .
2011 has been a seminal year for Conspirator. Formed in 2004 by Aron Magner and Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits’ keyboardist and bass player) along with New York producer DJ Omen, Conspirator has taken on many forms through the years. With the recent addition of virtuoso guitarist Chris Michetti and stalwart drummers Darren Shearer (the New Deal) and Mike Greenfield (Lotus), Conspirator has reached a new level.
The Everyone Orchestra conductor/founder Matt Butler has taken its participants, both on stage and off, on improvisational journeys with the most diverse of lineups at festivals, theaters and philanthropic events both nationally and internationally. A laundry list of hundreds of musicians, dancers, singers, guest conductors and community organizations have embraced the experience of EO in single shots of musical adrenaline to the soul. Tuning in to his energy, the band and audience utilize The Conductor as their pivot to the set mood of each passing jam as he communicates with the musicians using hand signs, whiteboard and assorted mime suggestions. Marching clearly into uncharted territory, The Everyone Orchestra balances the challenges of live group improvisation with, triumphant tension and release conduits of music which head deep into the soul. This unique collaborative triumph of performance deeply encourages and requires audience interaction ‘ its edge of your seat enthusiasm for what is next is the forte behind the continuous musical experiment of The Everyone Orchestra.
The New Deal is a three-piece electronic band formed in 1998 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With a drummer (Darren Shearer), bass guitarist (Dan Kurtz, now playing with Dragonette), and keyboard player (Jamie Shields), the music incorporates many elements of modern electronica, which they have branded live progressive breakbeat house. The band formed in 1998 after a friendly, impromptu jam session they had at the Toronto venue the Comfort Zone. Upon listening to a recording of the show, they were transfixed by how much it sounded like a DJ mix. They subsequently released the jam session as their first album, This Is Live. The band was without a name prior to the release of This Is Live. Jamie Shields, whose previous band One Step Beyond had wrapped up recently, indicated that the band hadn’t settled on a name. At one point, they were calling themselves “Reprise”. The New Deal stuck shortly afterwards. Originally billing themselves as an acid jazz group, they soon found themselves swept up into the emerging musical genre of livetronica. The drumming of Shearer often resembles the simplicity of a drum machine, while still tastefully complementing the accompanying music. Interestingly, Shields never loops a keyboard track and always plays everything live, even if a pattern is to be repeated. Thanks to the widespread sharing of bootleg versions of their early live shows, a national buzz ensued and within two years, and they signed a major label contract with Jive Electro. The promotion with Jive proved disappointing, and the band fell short of a highly-anticipated crossover. Nonetheless, they continued to tour, developing their fanbase. They released several more live shows on a label they created, Sound+Light Records, and produced two studio releases in 2003: Please Be Seated and Gone Gone Gone. In 2004, after a year-long hiatus, The New Deal toured several cities, often playing to crowds of 800 or more demonstrating the continued devotion of their fans. The band continued to tour, and over 200 recorded shows have been made available at the Internet Archive and etree for downloading. In recent years, seeing the band live has been difficult as concerts have become sporadic. Only a few recent concerts have been made available because of difficulties accommodating “tapers” and obtaining soundboard recordings. On April 8, 2011 an e-mail was sent out stating The New Deal would be breaking up in 2011. According to the e-mail the band feels “We have come to a point where the time and commitment that it takes to maintain our band at its best is no longer possible.”. A summer and fall tour took place throughout North America to end off the 12 year career.
Rubblebucket’s second studio album, Omega La La produced by Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem, !!!, Holy Ghost) @ DFA Studios & mastered by Joe Lambert (Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Herbie Hancock) drops June 21st.
Emerging onto the national music scene from his home base of Boston, Ryan Montbleau has been described as something of a Martin Sexton by way of Van Morrison and Stevie Wonder. Yet Ryan Montbleau Band’s music is diffi cult to pigeon-hole or neatly categorize. It is original yet familiar — a fresh sound full of fi rmly-rooted ingredients, including Americana, folk, blues, ragtime and ’70’s R&B and soul. Whereas the band’s intriguing instrumentation and arrangements (not to mention top notch chops) help to create this unique sound, all is fi rmly anchored by Montbleau’s water-tight lyrics and unmistakable voice.
In early 2000, Ott hatched a plan to remix half a dozen or so classic Hallucinogen trance tracks and release them as dub mixes – slower, fatter and more chillout friendly. In 2002 the album “Hallucinogen in Dub” was released via Twisted Records to universal acclaim. Buoyed by the success of “Hallucinogen in Dub”, the following year Ott gathered together and released his earlier sonic experiments as the album “Blumenkraft” which was also very well received and which attracted a great many listeners around the world. The next few years passed in a whirl of gigs, remixes [Shpongle, Entheogenic, Tripswitch] and collaborative projects – “Umberloid” with friend and multi-instrumentalist Chris Barker, and “Gargoyles” with Simon Posford [Hallucinogen, Shpongle]. During this time Ott travelled the world, got married, welcomed his daughter Daisy to the world and wrote his third album “Skylon” – which was released on Twisted Records in early 2008.
Surprise Me Mr. Davis is an electro-folk band comprised of Brad Barr [guitar, vocals], Andrew Barr [drums] and Marc Friedman [bass] of The Slip, and poet/songwriter Nathan Moore [guitar, vocals]. This will be their third tour with this ensemble, which hatched as a studio project during a 2003 blizzard. This tour is also the group’s first tour on the West Coast after three successful years playing California’s High Sierra Music Festival. The result of the snowed-in sessions was the record Surprise Me Mr. Davis, named after a candid answering machine message from a wrong number. Combining the adventurous musical visions of The Slip with the songwriting and delivery of Nathan Moore has resulted in a rolling and tumbling musical dice game; a vaudeville rock band gone mad. Surprise Me Mr. Davis ventured into The Breakglass Studio in Montreal for a five-day recording blitzkrieg in early September. Taking a pure analog approach, the group tracked some of their favorite songs from the last couple years as well as a few new ones. The album is a supercharged electro-folk album with many a tender moment. An EP, Only In Montreal, from these recording sessions will be for sale on this West Coast tour.
Eccodek is Canadian producer, remixer and multi-instrumentalist, Andrew McPherson. But more than that, it is the tapestry of sound created when a producer, inspired singers and gifted multi-instrumentalists from the four corners of the globe find a common love for dub, funk, jazz and cinematic electronics. Eccodek’s earthy blend of global beats, soaring melodies and textured electronica has quickly established the project as a significant voice on the global fusion stage – an appearance on the world renowned global chill series, Buddha Bar, a remix for world music’s second coming, Vieux Farka Touré and the distinction of being the only Canadian contributor to National Geographic’s GeoRemix project are just a few distinctions that have put Eccodek on the proverbial map.
Growing like wildfire under the canopy of live electonica and world roots music comes a masterful merge of modern technology, live instrumentation and seductive performance, built of brass bands and glitch, string quartets and dubstep: the musical trio Beats Antique. Since the group’s inception from the eclectic underground of San Francisco’s performance art scene, Beats Antique has been notorious for making it nearly impossible to sit still. They meld their mediums as attentively as they fuse the cultures that inspire their sound. All self produced and composed, the trio creates a unique collage: an animalistic, raw musical event that blurs the lines between the provocative, the spiritual, and the artistic, while still maintaining an allegiance to the muses of class and beauty.
Marco Benevento is one half of the Benevento/Russo Duo along with Joe Russo. Performances include: Lolapalooza, Austin City Limits, Fuji Rock Festival, SXSW, Bonnaroo, Wakarusa and more. Discography: “Benevento Russo Duo” (self-titled debut album) “Darts” “Best Reason to Buy the Sun” (Ropeadope) “Play Pause Stop” (Reincarnate/Butter Problems) Previously, he was a member of The Jazz Farmers, and has been a regular on the New York City contemporary, experimental jazz scene for years. He has performed with countless musicians which include, Matt Chamberlain, Charlie Hunter, John Medeski, Mike Gordon, Trey Anasatio, Eric Krasno, Wayne Krantz, John Ellis, Dave Dreiwitz, Mark Friedman, Reed Mathis, Bobby Previte, Ari Hoening, Terreon Gully, Brian Haas, DJ Olive, DJ Logic, Steven Bernsetin, Briggin Kraus, Lyrics Born, Mike Dillon, Les Claypool, Phil Lesh, Skerik, Johnny Vidacovich, Stanton Moore and others
To some, it must seem like this young electronic producer came out of nowhere this year, but those in the know have been following Emancipator since he self-released his first album, “Soon It Will Be Cold Enough,” at the age of 19 in 2006. His agile melodies layered over headnodic, immaculately-produced beats captivated fans across the internet and across the world. “Soon It Will Be Cold Enough” was picked up by Japanese super-producer Nujabes, pressed in Japan and sold 5,000 copies in the first six months. Emancipator landed a Puma sponsorship, gave an interview to Rolling Stone Japan, and even had his song “Maps” played at the Bejing Olympics. His latest album “Safe In The Steep Cliffs” blends new instrumentation and organic samples with the signature Emancipator style of clean production, silky melodies and addictive drums. Dense layers of choirs, horns, American folk instruments such as the banjo and mandolin, violin and some distinct Asian influences make for a playful but refined album built out of intricate tracks listeners can enjoy on as many levels as they want. Dance to it, chill out to it, immerse your mind in it. 
A super group is born! Weather you’re a Jazzer, Jammer, Funkster or Progger.. All the critics agree that Kung Fu delivers! KUNG FU is Tim Palmieri (The Breakfast – guitar) Todd Stoops (raq – keys) Dave Livolsi (Scofield/Jazz is Dead – bass) Rob Somerville (Deep Banana Blackout – sax) Adrian Tramantono (The Breakfast – drums) Forming out of a Monday night jam session in late 2009,this jazz/funk/fusion quintet have hit the ground running and show no signs of slowing down! Kung Fu is making “fusion music” cool again. The band is pure talent and have been able to ride the line between Headhunters era Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius’ Weather Report while incorporating some of the progressive jazz/rock of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Kung Fu is a 70% – 30% Instrumental/vocal and will absolutely keep the room moving! This band brings it and brings it hard. So much so that in the first 6 months Kung Fu earned themselves major sets at Gathering of The Vibes, Camp Barefoot, The Big Up, Strange Creek and more. These guys have played with and/or recorded with The Allman Brothers, John Scofield, Bill Evans, Jazz is Dead, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Jen Harstwick, T. Lavitz, The Disco Biscuits, Stephen Perkins, Jeff Pevar, Max Creek, members of String cheese Incident and Galactic, Tea Leaf Green, Particle and many more! The buzz has been big on Kung Fu and the expectations are high! Expect to see Kung Fu on your favorite summer festivals and in clubs near you.
Since 2007 American Babies has been the mouthpiece for Philadelphia based musician Tom Hamilton. After spending the early 2000s building a national fan base fronting the electro-rock band Brothers Past, releasing two critically acclaimed albums and averaging 150 shows a year, a change was in order. Hamilton looked to shed the electronic “bleeps-n-boops” production that had become his calling card …and make an album that was loose, rolling and full of vibe.So Hamilton moved to Brooklyn and enlisted friends Joe Russo (Benevento/Russo Duo, Grateful Dead offshoot Furthur), Kevin Kendrick (Fat Mama), and brother Jim Hamilton to hit the studio with producer Jon Altschiller (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Rachael Yamagata) and a dozen songs that spawned American Babies self-titled release (2008 Sci Fidelity). Since the release of “Flawed Logic”, Hamilton has found a more permanent, likeminded line up to fill out the band with Brooklyn-based drummer Dave Butler (Lee Scratch Perry, Dub is a Weapon) and fellow Philly folks Adam Flicker (The Brakes) on keys and Mark Karwan on Bass. The band has been turning heads all year and will be living on the road for the forseable future.
LYNX, an innovative singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, beat-boxer and producer originally from Colorado and now the Bay Area, has been playing music and performing since the age of 7. Now 25, she has been breaking new ground in both the live and electronic music scenes playing events all over the world including the US, Asia, Europe and Canada. Performance highlights include appearances at events such as Coachella, Austin City Limits festival, BOOM festival, and improv collaborations with Matisyahu, John Popper, Bassnectar and more. LYNX’s music combines elements of electronica, folk, and indie pop. Her lyrics are catchy and thought provoking while her beats keep things dancy and deep. Her new album ‘On the Horizon’ intertwines powerful vocals, lyrics that are both universal and intimate, timely and timeless, and a sound that switches from folky to cutting edge with bumping beats that melt to raw, melancholy melodies and resolve with infectious pop hooks. ‘On the Horizon’ is now available on Cartesian Binary Recordings.
Future Simple Project is an amalgamation of musical, movement and aerial artists. FSP features audio performers MIRAJA & MIKEY FISHER of the Family Moons Artist Collective / Dubanimals. They are often joined by live violinist Ilya Goldberg, aerial fabric dancers and movement artists MaQi Star, Akayate, Jilly Kat, Lani, Shakti Sunfire, and other special guests. Together this dynamic group weaves a sacred visual soundscape intertwined with pretty melodies, complex rhythms, gripping basslines and mystifying movement.
Critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Nathan Moore has been astounding audiences nationwide with his unique Americana-tinged indie-folk sound and lyrical profundity for nearly two decades, and the well-spring of songs from “…a musician that is in a constant state of becoming, always in the present with wide-eyed curiosity,”(State of Mind) keeps flowing. Music critics like JamBase’s Aaron Kayce marvel at Moore’s gift: “Nathan Moore…is one of the greatest songwriters we have and the faucet is always on pouring fresh songs out like water.” The versatility of Moore’s prolific songwriting and performing skills is sometimes unfathomable. He’s been in a jam band, a string band, a rock band and now is on the rise as a solo singer/songwriter. He’s recorded nineteen albums and shared the stage with an impressive list of talented artists (My Morning Jacket, Rickie Lee Jones, Greg Brown, Rambling Jack Elliot, Cheryl Crowe…) at hot venues and festivals all over the country. After touring relentlessly in the 1990′s and co-founding a small independent record label in Santa Fe, NM in 2001, Nathan returned to his roots in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 2006 to launch a solo endeavor. Moore’s 2007 solo album, In His Own Worlds, spent 21 weeks on the Roots Music Radio Charts, and his evocative one-man show that is an innovative combination of music, banter and magic has wowed audiences and garnered critical praise from coast-to-coast ever since.
The Dead Sessions is a culmination of Burlington, Vermonts’ heavy hitters playing music of the Grateful Dead. The cast changes every show. This show features special guests, guests from other bands, guests that are friends of Liberate, and more.
Twiddle, a Vermont-based quartet, spins tall-tales over an intricate soundscape of Hi-def shred. Twiddle has started a frenzy on both coasts with complexities that conjure up Coltrane, Ranglin, and Zappa, yet still embracing the roots of jam-band traditions. Finally, a group of musicians who not only understand climactic build and release, but deliver their intricate compositions night after night to jazz purists and screaming fans, all at the same time. Twiddle is a sound that defiantly weaves and dodges through genres. It’s three-dimensional music. You can see it from all sides, and even serve it to your guests. It’s Twiddle. Tasty.
Miraja (Raja Ananda)creates timeless musical soundscapes that cover a wide range of electronic music styles. Each performance is a new and unique journey that will never be repeated the same way twice. He is a founding member of the Family Moons Artist Collective and 1/2 of the dubstep group Future Simple Project.
Joshua Panda, a twenty-five year-old singer/songwriter from Charlotte, North Carolina, is an exceptional combination of country and soul, George Jones and Otis Redding, and has traveled with this unique sound to a unique place: Vermont. Joshua grew up in Huntersville, NC where at age three he started singing gospel music at Rockwell Baptist Church. From the church, he adopted the gospel hand wave, the rhythm, the wailing, and most importantly the embodiment of spirit. Ever since those early days in the choir, Joshua has oozed with uncontainable emotion and passion. Integrating such soulful energy into his original pieces, Joshua has captured a spirit in his performance, which encompasses both the flailing of a fervent preacher and the intimacy of your best friend telling you a story.
With influences such as Michael Franti and Spearhead, Bob Marley, Fela Kuti, and the Talking Heads you know the music has a message as well as a solid groove. Combining crucial elements of roots reggae, funk, dub, latin, ska, and rock with soulfire the Pulse Prophets draw a broad audience. The alliteration in the name “ Pulse Prophets” is purposeful. It says virtually everything you need to know about the band and their music. As they play, the group stakes out a rhythmic turf all their own, yet they invite the world around them to join in, using the hypnotic quality of the beat to transport their listeners to places known (then transformed)–and unknown (the places dreams reside). The prophetic aspect in the group’s name is as important as the pulse. The band is not purist (more alliteration) but rather a forward looking collective of musicians anxious to incorporate those strains of melody, harmony and, yes of course, rhythm, that will bring them and their listeners into the present (of the moment) but only as a means to a positive and purposeful end (reaching the future).
Brothers McCann is impressively taking New England by storm, cultivating their “organic pop” sound with every performance. With their debut album, Different Colors, and a busy road schedule, they continue to welcome new members into the Brothers McCann Family. Like the members of the band, their music is expressively authentic. With soulful, folk-pop roots, Brothers McCann tunes range from introspective falsetto narratives to intensely full and invigorating jams with acoustic tonalities. One of the most salient characteristics of Brothers McCann is the propensity for weaving staggering 3-part harmony into full-blown rock and roll. The originality of Mike and Pat’s songwriting is veiled with a friendliness that makes the melodies memorable upon first listen – and impossible not to sing along to! At any given live show there is a palpably strong connection between the band and the crowd that is born out of obvious gratitude, humility, and a downright love for music. From their song about silent Maine winters to their annual summer Reunion Festival in Vermont, Brothers McCann is a “ground-up” New England band through and through. With the release of Different Colors this November (made of all-Green manufacturing materials!), the five “Brothers” greatly anticipate expanding their horizons and spreading a little bit of New England love around the country.
Transcending the boundaries of genre, Insigniya has been explosively breaking into the world of music since the band’s start in January 2009. Taking influence from a vast range of musicians, Insigniya has been breaking down barriers in creating original music that cannot be broken down as simply jazz, rock, or funk. Insigniya is centered on the concept of channeling a special energy through an audience, creating within a feeling of freedom and self-empowerment. This energy is found at full force at shows and getting it recorded is the ultimate goal when the band is in the studio. With a constantly growing loyal fan base, Insigniya is attracting more people than ever to shows, which have a unique atmosphere full of high energy and happiness.
The Spiritual Rez reggae funk dance experience is an unabashed display of musical virtuosity. When paired with a deep, sub-sonic groove and powerful heart felt vocalization; crowds are left dancing and screaming for more.Over the past 8 years, these six men have relentlessly toured the country to share their music and appreciation of the arts. Rooted in rock, reggae, and funk; their diversity exemplifies their love and desire to put on a live experience that will not only cut to your core, but also ignite the inner flame that exists in us all.A constant festival favorite, The Rez can shake a stage like a psychedelic dance earthquake. Evoking their personal power animals, they fearlessly forge into the musically unknown, creating a masterpiece every performance. It’s this power, this creative desire, that has fans traveling across the nation to experience this raw and intoxicating display of musical bliss.“Start with a dose of old-school, Marley-Toots-Tosh reggae and infuse it with everything from Sun Ra Arkestra freak jazz to Steve Vai guitar pyrotechnics. Inventive intersections like these define Spiritual Rez”-Michael Witthaus, Hippo Press
Orchard Lounge is a collective of DJs and close friends that formed in Chicago in 2000. The trio of Ben Silver, Spencer Lokken, and Bethany Lokken, focus on performing for the more discerning of dance floors, and are known to appeal to open-minded and diverse audiences. They’ve never let their passion for the beat confine them to a single genre, as their sets may include anything from laid back downtempo/IDM to hypnotic tech house and b-boy era electro. Don’t be surprised if you hear an entire night of music dedicated to the sounds that have heavily influenced them as DJs either: they all share an affinity for classic hip hop, rock, funk, and soul, as well. This is the reasoning behind “OL: From the Dance Floor to the Couch”. It’s the appropriate defining phrase for the group because of their innate programming and record selection skills, as well as their talents in creating an experience for most any state of mind or environment. Some may label this as being versatile, however the three simply consider themselves serious music lovers with similar, albeit eclectic, interests. At the very core, they’re highly enthusiastic individuals full of praise for the producers whose names appear on their records. To that end, they’ve always fully understood their role as middlemen (and woman!), and if they are to accept the coveted role of tastemaker, they want it to soley benefit the artists whom they all admire.
The Brew are an aptly named quartet from Amesbury, a town in northeastern Massachusetts, cooking up a musical melting pot on their brand-new, self-released album, Back to the Woods, that combines their roots in classic rock, adding ingredients of prog, jazz, reggae, world beat, indie, funk and orchestral pop, sometimes in the course of a single song. “I feel like we would be doing this no matter what, but to have so many people validate what we believe in so deeply, it makes it something really special,” says Chris Plante, the keyboardist for the group, who joined high school classmates, guitarist Dave Drouin and drummer Kelly Kane, with his brother, bassist Joe Plante, to form The Brew. 
Bolstered by a sense of it’s own colorful history and urged onward by the promise of a fruitful future, Roots of Creation approaches it’s 4th year of full-time touring having evolved into a musical force of nature. With a hard-working ethic and an arsenal of upbeat, substantial songs, Roots of Creation have ascended to the top of their profession by putting their fans first and doing business with focus and respect. Writers, DJs, venue owners, and booking agents alike have joined ROC’s steadily growing army of fans in heaping praise upon the New Hampshire quartet, and not just for the music – the band has forged a unique connection with their listeners that provides concert attendees with a highly personal experience. They also walk the walk when it comes to social and environmental activism. Having raised money for many causes.
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