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2011 Saturday Lineup

Known for blending traditional Jewish themes with Reggae, rock and hip hop beat-boxing sounds, Matisyahu's single "King Without a Crown" was a Top 40 hit in the United States of America. Since 2004, he has released three studio albums as well as two live albums, two remix CDs and two DVDs featuring live concerts. Through his career, Matisyahu has worked with Bill Laswell and reggae producers Sly & Robbie.

In April of 2005 a fresh voice announced his arrival on the international stage with a stunningly inventive document titled Live at Stubb's. Six years later, Matisyahu returns to the renowned Austin venue that helped to launch his career with Live at Stubb's, Vol. II, a new CD-DVD package that demonstrates the continued originality and increasing depth of this longtime New Yorker's craft.

Inspired by the runaway success of the original record, which spawned the hit single "King Without a Crown" and has to date sold over 700,000 copies in the United States, Matisyahu says he always knew he wanted to make another live album. "Performing is such a big part of what I do," he says, "and there's a lot about that live energy that you just can't catch in the studio. So for me it was simply a matter of figuring out the right time to do it."

www.matisyahuworld.com

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In their fourteen years together as a band, celebrated Los Angeles culture-mashers Ozomatli have gone from being hometown heroes to being named U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. For those who wondered how a band known for its vigilant anti-war stance could become a partner with the very Bush administration they have so vocally critiqued in the past, the band was clear about their position: it was all about responding to a global "cry for change" by using music to promote messages of peace and understanding.

Their music - a notorious urban-Latino-and-beyond collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans second line, Jamaican ragga and Indian raga - has long followed a key mantra: it will take you around the world by taking you around L.A.

"I've always felt that music is the key to every culture, the beginning of an understanding," says vocalist and trumpet player Asdru Sierra. "It's a language far more universal than politics."

www.ozomatli.com

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Donna the Buffalo's feel-good, groove-oriented, danceable and often socially conscious music all began over twenty years ago with roots in old time fiddle music that evolved into a soulful electric Americana mix infused with elements of cajun/ zydeco, rock, folk, reggae, and country. Donna the Buffalo is known for touring the country remaining fiercely independent as one of the industry's most diverse roots-music bands and has "earned a reputation as one of the most respected, eclectic and hardest-working acts today," praises Encore.

"Donna the Buffalo is in the enviable position of being a homegrown entity, a group that finds itself outside the coloring lines of the accepted formula, a formula that is now in the past tense...People doing what they love, and better, sharing that passion to the benefit of the public, is the strongest business formula ever written. Donna the Buffalo is living proof of that." states Beat Magazine. Edd Hurt with the Nashville Scene writes, "Folkies with a superior sense of rhythm are rare enough, but folkies with a good beat and a healthy disrespect for eclectic clichés are a national treasure . . .they've never sounded better..."

Donna the Buffalo's fervent fan base, self-named The Herd, follows the band with zeal and has created a unique and supportive community online and at DTB shows across the nation. Puryear declares, "The main thing I like to say about The Herd is that you don't have to do anything to be a member. You just have to like a song." In an interview with The Roanoke Times, Nevins conveys, "It's a great feeling to promote such a feeling of community, like you're really part of something that's happening, like a movement or a positive force . . .All those people that come and follow you and you recognize them and you become friends with them — you're all moving along for the same purpose. It is powerful. It's very powerful, actually." When asked in an interview with the Weekender in PA what new people should look forward to experiencing at a show, Nevins replied "a really friendly, comfortable crowd, and a real community-oriented, positive experience."

As an extension of this community and the band's own dedication to live roots music, Donna started, and are still the driving force behind, the 20 year old Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, NY and the bi-annual Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival in Silk Hope, NC. DtB are regulars at Merlefest (NC), Suwanee Springfest & Magnolia Fest (FL), All Good (WV), Floyd Fest (VA), and The Great Blue Heron Festival (PA) amongst others. You can also see them in 2011 at DuneGrass (MI), Head Jamz (TN), Targhee Bluegrass Fest (WV) and a variety of other venues across the nation.

With a twenty-two year tenure to celebrate, hundreds of gigs ahead of them, and an ever-evolving grassroots sound; it looks like Donna the Buffalo is riding a cloud that is truly Silverlined.

www.donnathebuffalo.com/

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Joseph Edgar Foreman (born July 28, 1974), better known by his stage name Afroman, is an American rapper who came to prominence with his singles "Because I Got High" and "Crazy Rap". "Because I Got High" circulated around the Internet before becoming a hit worldwide. He was nominated for a Grammy award in 2002.

www.afromanmusic.com

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It is a special time for Langhorne Slim as he is so proud to announce and present Be Set Free, his mighty third album being released by Kemado Records. One of the most endearing and standout qualities of Slim's live shows is the sureness that one is always entering a genuine gospel-like musical experience full of little miracles. Be Set Free has captured this charisma and spirit - the "hold your heart" moments and "raise a drink" dance vibes shine throughout with lush string arrangements and the fine sonic talents of drummer Malachi DeLorenzo, new bassist Jeff Ratner and new keyboard/banjo player David Moore. Langhorne's stronger than ever vocals lead the journey blending his poetry through the beautiful chaos and bearing a wisdom that reflects a broken heart battling the perils of true hope.

Be Set Free is Langhorne's most cinematic and cohesive effort to date. Slim has truly reached a point of light where these songs come from wide-eyed maturity and mastered craft.

Gut wrenching lyrics and gorgeous merry melodies-it would be easy to categorize it as folk, but this time-it's much more complex than just that slice of pie. Sweet hallelujah choruses bleed throughout tracks like "Land Of Dreams" and "Say Yes" and turn to the darkness of blues filled "I Love You, But Goodbye".

Be Set Free was produced by Chris Funk (member of Decemberists) who also played various instruments on the record in Portland, OR. The album also features several guest musicians including Sam Kassirer (from Josh Ritter's band), Erika Wennerstrom (from Heartless Bastards) and Laura Veirs. The album was mixed by Tucker Martine who has recently worked with greats like Sufjan Stevens and R.E.M.

Needless to say 'tis been a non stop journey of excitement for Langhorne Slim. Since March 2008, the band have headlined over 150 shows and played major festivals such as Lollapalooza, Bumbershoot, Austin City Limits Festival, Newport Folk Fest, Sunset Junction, Pickathon, Rhythm and Roots, and SXSW. The band garnered heavy acclaim for their performance of "Restless" on the David Letterman show and were WXPN's artist of the month. This spring, the band will be touring the US and Europe including a US tour with the Drive-By Truckers in April.

www.langhorneslim.com

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Shannon McNally in the crux of a prolific phase. Earlier this year, she released the highly acclaimed Coldwater, grounded in her love for J.J. Cale, classic rock and the juncture where blues, soul and country music meet made all the more powerful by the keys of the late, great Jim Dickinson. Now, McNally comes forth with Western Ballad, officially releasing March 22, anchored by the title track written by Allen Ginsberg.

McNally, who co-wrote most of the remaining songs with producer and longtime collaborator Mark Bingham, characterizes the record as "psychedelic Americana. I knew that working with Mark, (known for being fearless with his music) I couldn't scare him. I could go out as far as I wanted, and he's going to be out even further."

The album was born of simple woodshedding between McNally and Bingham at his famed New Orleans Piety Street Studios "I just wanted to write," she explains. "We had no agenda, no direction, no lofty thoughts about making a record. I was really just excited to see how working with Mark would push me and figured the possibilities were endless. Bits and pieces of songs we each had became five songs in two days and I just went with it."

And what was born of the session is a collection of songs inspired by themes inherent in the vintage American songbook. It's not a coincidence the pair, who both were living in New Orleans when Katrina hit, finished the record during the days of the oil spill. The songs contemplate mortality, the unity of the downtrodden, the joys of day-to-day life, Native American themes, as well as the treacheries of the ego. It became a wayfaring spiritual record, or a spirit-record as she might say - driven by her sultry, mellow voice. And Ginsberg's words tied it all together in the end. "It was the missing link," says McNally.

www.shannonmcnally.com

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At age 23, Albuquerque, New Mexico native Ryan McGarvey has in a relatively short amount of time not only gained a national, and international fan base, but admiration from his personal idols as well. In the past few years of Ryan's career he has had the honor, and the pleasure of sharing the bill with such top name act's as Blue Oyster Cult, Shemekia Copeland, Shannon Curfman, Chris Duarte, Ian Moore, John Hammond Jr., Joe Bonamassa, Back Door Slam, Gov't Mule, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and many more. His debut CD release "Forward In Reverse" recently reached the top 20 (out of over 200,000 Artist's Cd's) on the best sellers list on CDBaby.com (The worlds largest online independent distributor). With rave reviews complimenting everything from his fiery guitar chops, which range from everything from delta slide to heavy rock, his unique vocals, or mature songwriting skills, Ryan McGarvey's live shows will leave you breathless and wanting more. Absorbing influences from everything from early delta blues, to classic hard rock, to more contemporary blues/rock artist's of today. In 2006 Ryan was named Guitar Center 's "Guitarmaggeddon: Next King Of The Blues" champion of New Mexico . For three consecutive years (2007-2009) he was named "Blues Act Of The Year", and was runner up for "Singer/Songwriter Of The Year", as well as was named "Best Guitarist Of The Year" for 2009 in The Weekly Alibi's Annual Readers Poll. In 2007 Ryan took home the New Mexico Music Award for "Blues Song Of The Year" for his song "Cryin' Over You", and was nominated for "Mainstream Rock Song Of The Year" for his song "The One That Got Away". In 2008 Ryan was once again nominated for "Blues Song Of The Year" for his blues ballad "Blue Eyed Angel Blues". Most recently Ryan was featured by the editors of Guitar Player Magazine twice during the Summer of 2008 in their publication. And, was named "Best Musician" from Albuquerque The Magazine's Annual "Best Of The City" Readers Poll. In 2010 Ryan and his band were chosen out of some 4,000 bands (worldwide), and approved to perform a set at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago. With a solid rhythm section backing him, Ryan McGarvey and his band are embarking on bigger and better things... Don't miss your chance to catch them in a town near you!

www.myspace.com/ryanmcgarvey

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