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Jacks River Band live at The Hummingbird in Downtown Macon
Known for their driving blues-rock style and extended improvised jams, Jacks River Band performs with an undeniably contagious energy. Their improvisational funkadelic rock sound features a hard hitting rhythm section, gut-busting guitar leads, and soul soothing vocals. Drawing on legendary influences such as The Allman Brothers Band, Deep Purple, The Grateful Dead, and The Derek Trucks Band, Jacks River Band delivers a uniquely blended sound that pushes the boundaries of blues rock, yet still remains familiar. Their debut album, "Woodland Creatures" was recorded in Atlanta by Tony Terrebone at Zac Recording. The music brings to light the diverse musical influences found among the band members. Tracks like “Bleedin’ Blues” and “Bear Left the Woods” pay homage to the great musical legacy of the Blues, while “Lay Me Down” features hard nosed guitar licks and tribal drum beats reminiscent of the band Tool. Hard driving grooves on “Funkfucious Say”, “Soul Free” and “One Eyed Jack” transport the listener to the early 70’s rock scene, and the feel good, funky vibes on “St Charles” and “Bullfrog” get everyone on the dance floor. In the past year, Jacks River Band has rocked the stage at renowned venues around Atlanta such as Eddies Attic, Smith's Olde Bar, Madlife Stage & Studios, & 37 Main; as well as touring regionally to places like Athens, Macon, Milledgeville, Knoxville, and Boone. They have given back to the community by partnering with The Songs For Kids Foundation and performing at their annual benefit concerts. Their music has been regularly featured on Atlanta's Rock 100.5 "Local Licks" and was featured on Atlanta's 97.1 The River's "Live Lounge Acoustic Classics". In the past year, Jacks River has rocked the stage at renewed venues such as Smith's Olde Bar, 37 Main, Hummingbird Tap Room, Tin Roof Cantina, Coolray Field, and Buffington's. They have given back to the community by partnering with The Songs For Kids Foundation and performed at their benefit concert. Their music has been regularly featured on Atlanta's Rock 100.5 Local Licks. They were also featured on Atlanta's 97.1 The River's "Live Lounge Acoustic Classics".
Halloween Show featuring Universal Sigh and Mister Tie Dye
Universal Sigh is a high energy, metamorphic rock show. Hailing from Athens, GA the foursome features a two-guitar attack and driving rhythm section, producing versatile music which reflects a deep fondness for artists such as Radiohead, Snarky Puppy, and Umphrey’s McGee. Influenced by a myriad of musical styles, the quartet has crafted a diverse catalog, which includes both lyrical tunes and instrumental arrangements. Each song is a voyage, with harmonious melodies soaring through epic peaks and dramatic descents into electrifying funk grooves. Fluid and dynamic, the Sigh is equipped with an abundance of compositions to energize any musical atmosphere. Universal Sigh’s guitarist and drummer Pace and Jones Maynard, developed together as young musicians playing long hours in their parents’ basement. In high school, Jones met songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steve Terry, and the two took playing together like fish to water. The expansive music scene in Athens paved the way for the band to meet Austin Parker, a soulful vocalist with a love for laying down the bass. Pace, Steve, Jones, and Austin have been at the forefront of all song writing and live performances. However, the band frequently collaborates original music with special guests, including full brass sections, percussion, and guest vocalists. Their openness allows every show to be a special surprise. May 2016 ushered in the anticipated release of Universal Sigh’s first album, Atoms & Void. While improvisation is a staple component of the live show, Atoms & Void displays a thoughtfulness to innovatively diversify arrangements of rock songs, blues tunes, and futuristic jazz alike. The debut album explores the uncanny nature of song structure and provides lyrical content inspired by the turmoil and beauty of the human condition. The core four presents Atoms & Void, as a material extension to connect the listener to the inherent music within everyone. Mister Tie Dye originated as a jazz sextet assembled to perform an original composition by José Moran. After José showed that tune to Chandler Greer, they had the idea to expand into a larger and more experimental ensemble. The iteration of Mister Tie Dye that exists today is a nine piece ensemble including 6 horns and a rhythm section. The group performs a repertoire of music that spans over several genres.
C2 and the Brothers Reed w/ Greco live at The Hummingbird
"Hailing from the Bluegrass with a sound as unique and smooth as the regions' beloved bourbon, C2 & The Brothers Reed's authenticity shines in their studio debut Weigh Station Tour. After the independent release of their first EP "Hot Mess", along with an extensive tour schedule (250+ shows in 2015-16) traveling mainly in the southern part of the country, they took to the studio less than a year later to cut their new record Weigh Station Tour. Split into sides, 'Exit A' 'Exit B', Weigh Station Tour explores gritty rock and roll while referencing 60's and 70's era soul music, embracing a style that is nearly lost but deeply needed in the surge of modern sound and technology. The band - singer/bassist Cameron Clark, guitarist Kelly Reed, drummer Kody Reed, and keyboardist James Weishar - hide behind nothing on their records, with a 'realness' that has been constantly attributed to their live performance. Since forming in 2013, C2 & The Brothers Reed have made some notable appearances across the board with acts such as Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland, Moon Taxi, Eddie Money, Warrant, and jam bands The Werks and Dopapod. "Weigh Station Tour: Exit A" was released in January 2015 and the followup "Exit B" released summer of 2016." Who is Greco? Greco: Four Brothers + One Sound. Greco's musical hope is summed up in four words: Sing. Dance. Sweat. Sex. Do these things while listening to the music and it will make for such a better experience for everyone. Their hooks, rock & roll lyrics, and on stage antics will make you understand why your mama warned you about boys like these. Greco connects to the audience through common experiences, sung out over blistering riffs, while giving the crowd a chance to jump in a wild and morally ambiguous party. Their latest stage show reflects their breaking out of the stereotypical pop rock genre, and touching the dirty bits of life that happens to everyone and relating to how we all can keep pushing on.
Roots Rock Showcase at The Hummingbird in Downtown Macon
On November 4th The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom presents their annual Roots Rock Showcase feauturing The Bitteroots, Back City Woods, Andrea Colburn & Mud Moseley, Dos Blues Guys, Uncle Dave Griffin, and Sean Clark. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door.
Hot Rod Walt and the Psycho-DeVilles at The Hummingbird
Atlanta's Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho DeVilles are a super-charged, high-energy rockabilly show singing tunes about hot rod cars, mean women, and having a good ol' time.
The Grass Is Dead live at The Hummingbird in Downtown Macon
The Grass Is Dead Performs Bluegrass Versions of the Grateful Dead & Related Music Since 1998
The Appleseed Collective w/ Pickled Holler live at The Hummingbird in Downtown Macon
"The dictionary defines Americana as, 'things associated with the culture and history of America, especially the United States.' Well if that is the case then The Appleseed Collective is real Americana. I figured out sort of a mathematical equation last night- it's like Satch plus Django plus Joplin plus Bob Wills plus a little Bill Monroe, but the sum is actually greater than the parts." So said Jason Marck of WBEZ Chicago's Morning Shift, introducing the band for a live segment in November 2014. No Americana sound could ring so true without miles of highway to back it up, and The Appleseed Collective certainly has that- 2014 has seen them travel coast to coast in support of their two studio albums, Baby to Beast (2012) and Young Love (January 2014). According to Aarik Danielsen of the Columbia Daily Tribune, "Young Love sweeps out the various corners of American music, taking a long look at both the sublime and the strange. The group explores both dark and light in a way that other string-band revivalists haven’t touched." Formed in 2010, The Appleseed Collective has become a force of nature powered by their local community and developed by a strong sense of do-it-yourself drive. In an age of corporations and climate change, the band’s commitment to buying & selling local, eating from gardens, and being their own bosses has led to the kind of success that feels simply organic. Each part of the Collective comes together to form an amalgam of complementary and contrasting elements. With a Motown session musician for a father, guitarist Andrew Brown was exposed to pre-World War II jazz on a trip to New Orleans. Shortly afterwards a chance meeting introduced him to Brandon Smith, violinist, mandolinist and improvisatory magician who grew up playing old time fiddle music. Vince Russo, multi-percussionist and van-packing savant, blends influences of funk, jazz and rock n’ roll on the washboard. Eric Dawe comes from a background of choral singing and studies in Indian classical music and provides the bottom end on the upright bass. The whole band sings in harmony. The band's latest release is a live album recorded in one night at world-renowned venue, The Ark in their hometown of Ann Arbor MI. On Live At The Ark (December 2014) the energy is palpable, the crowd ready to receive, and the band primed to deliver. With a mix of new and old material, as well as a few specially requested covers, Appleseed does just that. The album balances barn burners, old soul jazz, and sparse mood pieces, all suspended above a room hungry for more. It's a daring spectacle but it pays off- the album feels at once electric and intimate, glamorous and genuine, or as Joshua Pickard at Beats Per Minute put it, "music best served alongside a roaring campfire but that also has the ability to challenge the rafters of any grand arena." The Appleseed Collective is not a bluegrass band. It’s not The Hot Club of Paris. It’s not a ragtime cover band. The Appleseed Collective represents Americana music rooted in traditions from all over the world and from every decade, creating a live experience that welcomes every soul and is impossible to replicate.
Stop Light Observations and Waker Live at The Hummingbird
Stop Light Observations "In the 1930's, the blues sang the sorrows of a man with nothing," says JohnKeith "Cubby" Culbreth, principal songwriter of Stop Light Observations. "This 21st century album, ironically, sings the sorrows of a man with everything. 'Toogoodoo' is the 'Middle Class Blues.'" For as long as Americans have sought the illusions of comfort and security in materialism and wealth, there have been those who rejected the predictability of conformity in search of something more authentic. From Thoreau at Walden Pond to Jack Kerouac's manic crosscountry road trips, the quest for fulfillment plays out uniquely in the art of every generation. For Charleston's Stop Light Observations (aka SLO), the search for something more meaningful led them on a journey through ecstatic highs and crippling lows, artistic triumphs and business setbacks, and, ultimately, right back home to the Toogoodoo River in South Carolina. The roots of SLO stretch deep into childhood, when Cubby first began assembling the lineup as a middle schooler, but things didn't truly take off until the band released their acclaimed 2013 debut album, 'Radiation.' Metronome Charleston hailed their "emotive and elegant" songs, which blended arena-sized rock with undercurrents of hip-hop and folk, while the Charleston City Paper profiled their unexpected rise, which "took many in the music industry by surprise" as they went from relative unknowns to playing Bonnaroo and selling out Charleston's largest rock club, The Music Farm, in roughly a year. Since then, they've gone on to break the record for most consecutive sellouts at The Music Farm and perform live shows all across the country, including more standout festival sets from Firefly to Summerfest . Despite the rapid growth of their fanbase, though, the band had to deal with misplaced trust in music industry figures along with a series of setbacks and the accompanying disillusionment. They hit rock bottom at the end of a tour in Colorado, facing a depleted budget, no shows on the books, and the potential dissolution of the band. "I remember sitting in the van wondering what we were going to do and how we were even going to make another record," remembers singer Will Blackburn. "I said, 'Why don't we go out to Toogoodoo?'" It wasn't the first time Blackburn had suggested it, but it was the first time Cubby took the idea seriously. Toogoodoo is a more than 200-year-old private family compound located about 30 minutes outside of Charleston on the Toogoodoo River . Cubby's family had been renting it out to vacationers in recent years, and while beautiful, it's a far cry from a modern recording studio. The grounds are a trip back in time, far removed from the luxuries of Charleston and its bright, sunny beaches. The property overlooks immense, brackish marshes where the ocean and river water meet, and the specter of Charleston's sometimes dark history hangs heavy, a counterbalance to the currents of peaceful serenity and natural splendor that flow throughout the property. The band decided the only way to properly record an album there would be to track everything live as a full band over the course of eleven days , and then to render the resulting songs through analog tape. They relocated all of their gear and set up in the house on a tireless quest to capture the sound in their heads. Even once they felt like they'd nailed a perfect take, SLO would push onwards to cut it again with even more intensity. Sometimes 40 performances deep into a song, bandmembers would continue to call for one more, and one more again until something undeniably transcendent happened. "I grew up in a church, and it was like a Holy Spirit type of situation," says Cubby. "Every single time we got the one, we all knew that was it, there were no arguments. We would just hug and sometimes cry. The best thing about it all is that every single song on this album captures that deep level of emotion we felt performing it. Every song you hear is “The” take and everytime I listen to them it takes me right back.” 'Toogoodoo' opens with the first notes SLO recorded there, the haunting, palm-muted hook of Louis Duffie's guitar on "Dinosaur Bones." As a chorus of crickets fades into the Low Country night, Blackburn's voice enters on top, smooth as silk at first but gaining grit and gravel with each verse, musing on loneliness and emptiness in the modern world over the intensifying rhythms of drummer Luke Withers. "Decorated on the outside, but empty at my core," he sings, setting the stage for a journey through middle class alienation and dissatisfaction over the next eleven tracks. "My generation has grown up with a ridiculous amount of privilege and lived a better life than any king in history," reflects Cubby. "Think about it: we have planes to fly around the world; grocery stores with endless food; TV and internet; AC and heating; running water and flushing toilets; medicine if we get sick; sound machines to block out the noise if we can't sleep in our soft cotton beds. All of this stuff exists because the human race is chasing after an easier, more comfortable life. But when you experience the absence of pain, you also experience the absence of positive feelings. America is in a numb state, and as a millennial, I feel confident that my generation can speak to this truth better than any." On the hypnotic "Security," Blackburn sings sarcastically of the only things that will bring true satisfaction ("two cold beers, a hot bitch, and security") and later asks, "Shit, why don't we feel happy?" The gospelinfluenced "50 Ways" and rollicking "Know It Alls" examine ego and humility, while "Aquarius Apocalyptic" is a stream of consciousness musing on the end of the world that came to Cubby in a lucid dream. Despite the frequently grand themes, there are more intimate, personal moments on the album, too, like "For Elizabeth"—a fond farewell to a lover—and "Who You Are," a reminder that in spite of the time and distance while the band is on the road, their loved ones are always on their minds. Many of the tracks were directly inspired by SLO's surroundings, too, from the bluesy "Leroy"—named after a homeless man in Charleston's Old Village who came to work at Toogoodoo—to the chain gang a cappella of "Dead"—which captures the eerie footsteps of one of the property's ghosts—to the sweet, instrumental tranquility of " Stepping Away ," recorded at night on the dock that hangs above the Toogoodoo River. While South Carolina is an essential element of SLO's identity, they're certainly not a "Southern rock" band. "Southerners are the storytellers of America," reflects Cubby. "You might listen to our music and hear elements of classic rock and modern indie rock and blues and folk and hip hop, but underneath all of that tying everything together is southern storytelling." The stories on 'Toogoodoo' will at once feel familiar and revelatory, as SLO takes an insightful look at the contradictions of a modern society that has access to everything (and everyone) at its fingertips, yet still so often feels empty and alone. The answers, they discovered while creating this album, don't lie in possessions, or status, or in anything external. "There's no such thing as security, and all the answers you're searching for and the fulfillment you want is a daily struggle that lives within you," concludes Cubby. "It's your responsibility to love and accept yourself and to share the energy you receive from that with others. And that's what this album is. It's the story of some 23 year olds living in America in 2016." Waker Waker was founded by childhood friends and songwriting duo Chase Bader (Vocals, Acoustic) and Conor Kelly (Electric guitar). The group hails from Nashville, mashing soul, rock & roll , & funk into an eclectic, danceable sound, focusing on songs that aim for the heart, head... and feet. Originally known as Koa, Waker was christened in late summer 2016 following the addition of Dave Czuba (drums) & David Crutcher (keys) to the already talented lineup of Ryan Ladd (bass), Alex Mathews (sax), and Ryan McClanahan (percussion). With a name that stems from the line, “Getting close to bedtime, time to wake,” in their song, “Fever,” The intention has always been clear, to “wake people” with their music. In a short amount of time, the band has already conquered festival stages at Bonnaroo ACL, Hangout, SXSW, Firefly, and Wakarusa. They’ve toured with Blues Traveler, JJ Grey & Mofro, Moon Taxi, Galactic, the Wailers, recorded a session for Audiotree live, and headlined theater shows across the country. Since the release of their 2015 EP, the band has continued their nonstop regiment of touring & writing. Look for new music in 2017. Waker is an experience meant to be shared with others.
The Pine Box Dwellers live at The Hummingbird in Downtown Macon
The Pine Box Dwellers are a swamp rock band from Waycross GA.
Royal Johnson w/ Bethany and the Southside Boys at The Hummingbird
Royal Johnson began with just one song. Founders Chance Royal and Andy Johnson, both from Thomaston, GA, got together in May of 2014 to record a simple demo of a song that Johnson had recently written. He laid down some basic guitar and vocals, leaving Royal to work on the rest for a couple days. In that time Royal filled out the song, adding bass and layered guitar work. In the following months the duo developed an entire album of material in this fashion - piece by piece, trading ideas track by track, experimenting and thoughtfully crafting the songs from the ground up, in an extra room at Royal’s house. Most of the tracks that became Belly Full were recorded solely by Royal and Johnson. Kevin Vines was enlisted to track bass on a few songs, and drum tracks were provided by Justin Raffield and Chris Reeves. Vines brought such an energy to the recordings that he was asked to join the live band, and subsequently brought in drummer Joanie Ferguson as his rhythm section partner. That foursome, with the occasional addition of Bennie Mobley on harmonica, had an amazing two-year run that took them all over the southeast, captivating audiences of all colors and creeds by playing a variety of venues from central Florida to the North Carolina highlands to western Alabama, sharing stages with the likes of The Doobie Brothers, Stillwater (twice opening their annual reunion show), Jimmy Hall, Jack Pearson, Willie Nelson, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers, Drivin’ n’ Cryin’, Turnpike Troubadours, Robert Lee Coleman, Greensky Bluegrass, Big Mike and the Booty Papas, Joey Huffman and Bobby Golden. They’ve played hockey arenas, large outdoor festivals, craft breweries, listening rooms, wedding receptions, bars and restaurants, intimate theaters, strip clubs, back yard parties, art galleries and mud bogs. After staying on through part of the tracking of the new Royal Johnson album, Vines and Ferguson left the group in early 2017 and have been replaced by Sam Ross Jr. on drums and Joseph Palmer on bass, both residents of Macon. The infectious energy of Royal Johnson’s live shows and the eclectic nature of their successful debut album has brought together a diverse fanbase. Roots-and-Blues-enthused funk rock. Like seeing a mashup of Marshall Tucker Band and Sly Stone. The group is currently wrapping up the recording of its second album, but its first at Muscadine Studios, home of legendary producer and musician Paul Hornsby. Paul is a member of both the Alabama and Georgia Music Hall of Fame, producing several gold and platinum records, and most known for his work with the Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels and Wet Willie, and for his time playing in Hourglass with Duane and Gregg Allman.