The Alpaca Gnomes are a vibrant, stomp-and-groove, 7 piece original rock-folk jam band from Bridgeport, CT. The Gnomes ensemble currently features violin, electric & acoustic guitar,bass,drums,sax,and percussion.
The Alpaca Gnomes eclectic style has allowed them to appear on a multitude of bills with varied acts and musical genres such as Living Colour, Blues Traveler, Twiddle, DJ Logic, Funky Meters, Anders Osbourne, Railroad Earth, The Drifters, The Tokens, Rick Derringer, Soul Rebels, Roots of Creation, Kung Fu, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, Funky Dawgz Brass Band, Box Set Duo Trio, The Main Squeeze, as well as private events such as ESPN radios NCAA College Football National Championship pre-party in Pasadena, California.
The Alpaca Gnomes have built a loyal following of passionate fans, nicknamed “Gnomies", who often join the fun by rocking the band’s signature Gnome style hats during shows. The band rocks out many venues, festivals, and concert series including:
Venues: Infinity Music Hall (Norfolk) Toad's Place (New Haven), Fairfield Theatre Company Warehouse (Fairfield), Pacific Standard Tavern (New Haven), The Acoustic (Bridgeport), The Ballroom/Outer Space (Hamden), BRYAC (Bridgeport), Palace Theatre (Stamford), Levitt Pavillion (Westport), Electric Haze (Worcester, MA), Arlene’s Grocery (NYC), Olive’s (Nyack, NY), Mexicali Live (Teaneck, NJ).
Festivals: Pleasantville Festival(NY), Blues Views BBQ (Westport), international festival of arts & ideas(New Haven), Blues on the Beach(Stratford), Two Roads Brewery Road Jam (Stratford), Rock n Roll Resort(NY), Soupstock Music & Arts Festival, Just Joshin' Festival, Shuck & Jive, as well as numerous Summer Concert Series throughout Connecticut including Bridgeport, Hamden, Rowayton, Stratford, Huntington and Mamaroneck, NY.
Booking: The Alpaca Gnomes Sub Booking:Established 2022 in New York City, the Yacht Lobsters sail the waves of the butteriest Soft Rock of the 70's and early 80's. Their big sound recreates - and at times reimagines - the studio mastery of retro-rock icons like Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, Toto, etc. It's the breezy Yacht Rock cool vibe you know and love, fused with stellar vocals, a full horn section and unique elements of NOLA funk, classic rock and jazz improvisation to keep things bouncy, set your mood to festive and ensure your boat's a-rockin'. There's even a tasteful smattering of original music that sounds like it stepped right out of 1978. Founded by the visionary team behind Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution, the Lobster roster features NYC's finest professional musicians who have played together for decades. Grab your captain's hat, make that Pina Colada a double and climb aboard!
Booking: Yacht Lobsters Sub Booking:Jason Narducy is a Chicago musician. When he isn't touring with Bob Mould or Superchunk, he writes and sings in Split Single. Greg Kot (Chicago Tribune, Sound Opinions) calls Jason “a first rate songwriter and band leader”. Jason has performed with Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices), Sunny Day Real Estate, The Pretenders, Liz Phair, Eddie Vedder, and many more.
Jason and his first band, Verböten, were featured in the Foo Fighter's HBO series Sonic Highways and in Dave Grohl's NYT best seller, Storyteller. Playwright Brett Neveu wrote a musical about Verböten (featuring music by Jason) that opened in Chicago in January 2020. Verböten the musical garnered rave reviews and sold out performances and is currently being re-worked for a film adaptation.
Jason Narducy has written and performed in comedy shorts such as The Sexiest Elbows in Rock (3 episodes all found on YouTube). The episodes feature Fred Armisen, Michael Shannon, Frank Black, Sharon Van Etten, Todd Barry, Dave Hill, Rick Nielsen, and Michael Cerveris among others.
Booking: Bob Mould Solo Electric Sub Booking:Nicotine Dolls formed in New York City (Summer 2017) by Singer Sam Cieri and Guitarist John Hays, with John Merritt (Bass) and Abel Tabares (Drums) joining shortly after. The band has released a string of singles including "The Madness" and "Burning a Good Thing" throughout 2019, along with self produced music videos. The band prides itself on there raw live shows. Nicotine dolls are the ones who stand outside smoking all night because they are too afraid to go inside but can't bring themselves to leave.
Booking: Nicotine Dolls Sub Booking:This year, we have selected six short films (85 Min Total) to create a unique and captivating lineup.
MANHATTAN SHORT has a history of sharing short film selections with the Academy Awards and this year is no different. Two of the six films in this year's lineup are Oscar Nominated while another two of them were shortlisted for the 2023 Oscars.
Booking: Manhattan Short Film Festival Sub Booking:Austin, Texas…Eric Johnson has been traveling on a prolific odyssey over the course of more than four decades. Along the way, his creations have encompassed repertoire that cross pollinate genres which include rock, blues, jazz, fusion, soul, folk, new-age, classical and even country. Inevitably, E.J. says it best himself in sharing, “It really boils down to the music and the song at the end of the day,” he explains. “If it doesn’t have that it gets boring for me. The most important thing for me is to grow musically and make a more expansive and meaningful artistic statement with every new project.”
During the Pandemic, the Grammy winning guitarist, vocalist, composer, and multiinstrumentalist has been busy releasing weekly, donation-based, virtual “Mini-Lessons” benefitting Food Banks across the country and working in the studio on previously un-released tracks and new recordings. The currently untitled new record is scheduled for release later this year.
Throughout his career, Johnson has approached music as a healing force, a way to enhance a listener’s consciousness, and conjure joy and inspiration. More than a year into the Pandemic, and because of the Pandemic, he reflects that this approach has become reinforced and more enhanced. The 2022 Treasure Tour will feature some of the previously un-released gems, some new songs, and some older favorites. His band will include Tom Brechtlein on drums, and Roscoe Beck on bass.
Booking: Eric Johnson's Treasure Tour - 9/21/2023 Sub Booking:Bonerama is a force of nature. It is a band that in many ways defies categorization. A funky rock band with brass…a funky brass band that rocks. Pick Yer Poison. Bonerama is a New Orleans-based band that fuses everything that has made that city’s music famous into a genre defying gumbo. The band has taken the best elements of rock, soul, fusion, pop, jazz, funk, brass, gospel and blues to forge its unique sound.
Formed in 1998, Bonerama is the brainchild of trombone players Mark Mullins and Craig Klein (who from 1990-2006, were also members of Harry Connick Jr.’s big band). Currently comprised of Mullins (trombone, electric trombone and lead vocals), Klein (trombone and lead vocals), Greg Hicks (trombone and vocals), Bert Cotton (lead guitar), Matt Perrine (sousaphone and electric bass) and Walt Lundy (drums), Bonerama is one of the funkiest and most unique bands to ever come out of New Orleans.
Equally adept at delivering extraordinary originals or blistering covers of artists as diverse as Led Zeppelin; The Beatles; The Allman Brothers; Jimi Hendrix–even Black Sabbath, Bonerama’s distinctive, inimitable, genuine, one-of-a-kind sound is unmatched, high-energy, fun, dynamic and bold. Over the years, Bonerama has joined forces with many prominent musicians on stage or in the studio such as R.E.M., Little Feat, OKGo, Nicole Atkins, George Porter Jr., The Radiators, Ivan Neville, Galactic and many more. Whoever Bonerama teams-up with gets an interesting and personal take on Bonerama’s style of music infusing a piece of their own genetics into the band vibe of whoever they are joining. Simply put, Bonerama’s sound is a mélange unlike anything else. By placing the trombones, up front and center stage as the lead instrument, Bonerama is “different” in the best possible way. Not only is the band’s music unique but it is drenched with the New Orleans’s DNA that flows through the veins of the band’s members…and it works!
A Bonerama concert is life-changing and will permanently alter how one views popular music. When seeing Bonerama live, attendees are treated to a masterclass that is both a musical time machine and a trip through 20th and early 21st Century popular music. Audience members are magically transported to old New Orleans (via tunes like “Mr. Okra,” an original about the New Orleans character and treasure Arthur Robinson who sold vegetables from his truck, “Let The Four Winds Blow,” “Iko Iko,” “Big Chief,” and “Indian Red”); current New Orleans (with its funk, rock and jazz-flavored originals such as “Shake Your Rugalator,” “Bad Dog,” “Hard Times,” and “Hot Like Fire”); Classic or Alternative radio (through unconventional and unsuspected covers of “When The Levee Breaks,” “Frankenstein,” “Helter Skelter” “Whipping Post,” “Crosstown Traffic,” “War Pigs” and “Paranoid Android”) as well as familiar traditional gems and nuggets (such as “What A Wonderful World,” “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” and “Down By The Riverside”). Every song is performed with a high-energy and spicy concoction of deliciously Southern funky New Orleans attitude and joy.
Bonerama has appeared on national television shows including Late Night with David Letterman and in 2006 was the house band for HBO’s Comic Relief. The band’s appeal and fan-base is spread across the globe. Over the past 20+ years, Bonerama has been recognized as one of New Orleans’ best-loved touring bands—making numerous stops each year in New York City; Washington, DC; Chicago; Philadelphia; St. Louis and many other U.S. markets. The band regularly performs at well-known music festivals and venues across the country and in the fall of 2018 Bonerama performed three nights at the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles while opening for Mullins and Klein’s former boss, Harry Connick Jr. More than a New Orleans band, Bonerama also has a huge international following. It makes frequent trips to Brazil with tour stops in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and other locations in that country playing to large scale audiences of all ages that are wowed by the band’s unique sound, catalog and deep New Orleans roots.
During its career, Bonerama has delivered seven major releases. It’s current full-length album, Bonerama Plays Zeppelin (Basin Street Records), was one of the best-selling albums at Jazz Fest in 2019. The band’s most recent release, the “Empty World” single, is a tribute to the late Allen Toussaint that features Michael McDonald (who will be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Doobie Brothers at the 2020 Induction Ceremony).
Bonerama is a band that truly resides in a class of its own. Its jazzified, funkified, rhythmic and rockin’ brass band music is unequaled and unparalleled. Once heard, it leaves an indelible imprint upon the listener that can never be forgotten.
Current Line-up:
Mark Mullins – trombone / vocals Greg Hicks – trombone / vocals Chris Butcher – trombone Matt Perrine – sousaphone Bert Cotton – guitar Eric Bolivar – drums
Booking: Bonerama Sub Booking:Geoff Tate is best known for his 30-plus years as the creative and driving force behind the band Queensrÿche. With Geoff at the helm, they sold over 20 million albums and performed in almost fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern, popular artists citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with high-energy, melodically complex music, Queensrÿche with Geoff Tate at the forefront became internationally recognized as the thinking man’s rock band.
Booking: Geoff Tate's Big Rock Show Hits Sub Booking:Filmed across the West and narrated by Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actor David Oyelowo, ELEMENTAL: REIMAGINE WILDFIRE (84 min) takes viewers on a journey with the top experts in the nation to better understand fire. The film follows the harrowing escape from Paradise, California as the town ignited from wind-driven embers and burned within a few hours of the fire's start. It then continues to the even more recent fires of the last two years, when Oregon, California and Colorado suffered their worst wildfires in recorded history.
ELEMENTAL: REIMAGINE WILDFIRE includes the voices of climate experts, Indigenous people and fire survivors, and asks us to reimagine our relationship with wildfire as we prepare for an increasingly hotter future. Former United States Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck says of the documentary:
”Elemental is an outstanding film that deserves the widest possible viewing. In a visually stunning manner, it distills what we’ve learned about wildland fire over the decades and provides a road-map for badly needed changes that will benefit thousands of people, particularly in fire prone communities.”
In the wake destructive fires across the nation, ELEMENTAL is an important look at discovering how we can all reimagine our relationship with wildfire, and keep our homes and communities safe. The solutions are now more timely and urgent than ever.
Trip Jennings founded Balance Media and has worked with National Geographic for over a decade. His films have won dozens of awards around the world and have aired on major networks on every continent. For nearly two decades, Ralph Bloemers has worked on wildfire and community safety, restored burned trails, and assisted the scientific community with bringing their knowledge and research to the public. Directed By: Trip Jennings/ Distributed By: Journeyman Pictures/ Genre: Documentary/ Run Time: 1hr 25mins
Booking: Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire Sub Booking:This is a FREE outdoor concert in the parking lot at FTC. A ticket is required for entry. The event goes from 5:30 to 8:30.
• Free Tasting TBA
• Rain or shine
• Bring your own chair & good vibes
• Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse
Tracy Jo is a Black Rock (Bridgeport), CT based musician and leader of her roots-rock band Tracy Jo & the Toads. After living and studying music in New Orleans, Tracy Jo retreated to Connecticut; bringing new experience and influences into her songwriting. The band is a refreshing blend of blues and gritty soul led by powerful, sultry vocals.
In addition to this project, Tracy Jo tours with reggae band Mystic Bowie's Talking Dreads.
In case of inclement weather the concert will be moved to The Warehouse.
Booking: Fresh-Air Outdoor Concert Series - Tracy Jo & The Toads Sub Booking:The Robert Cray Band will be touring the US and UK for the first time since the 2020 release of his album, That’s What I Heard.
“Funky, cool and bad,” is how Cray describes the Grammy-nominated album, produced by longtime collaborator, Steve Jordan, who adds, “I thought, if we could get this thing that Sam Cooke used to have, the kind of sound that early Sam Cooke records had, that we could pull this off.” “Robert Cray is not only making music, he’s making history,” writes Guitar Player Magazine. Over the past four decades, Cray has created a sound that rises from American roots, blues, soul and R&B, with five Grammy wins, 20 acclaimed studio and live albums that punctuate the Blues Hall of Famer’s career. On That’s What I Heard, Robert celebrates the music of Curtis Mayfield, Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Sensational Nightingales and more, alongside Cray’s own songs.
Cray and Jordan go way back, having met during the making of the Chuck Berry documentary Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll, in 1987. They started working together in 1999, when Jordan produced the Grammy-winning Take Your Shoes Off, and the recent Grammy-nominated LP, Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm. That’s What I Heard is their sixth album. “Once you start working with Steve, it’s kind of hard to get away from him,” said Robert.
“Robert is just a great person besides being extraordinary talent,” adds Jordan. “People gravitate to his guitar playing first, but I think he’s one of the best singers I’ve heard in my life. Not only because of his singing ability, but his interpretations. He’s such an honest soul in my opinion.”
Robert’s band features Richard Cousins (bass), Dover Weinberg (keyboards), Terence F. Clark (drums), and Steve Jordan (drums, percussion).
VIP tickets are available through this link https://bit.ly/41Zuohi
Booking: The Robert Cray Band Sub Booking:Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, Town Mountain is the sum of all its vast and intricate influences — this bastion of alt-country rebellion and honky-tonk attitude pushed through the hardscrabble Southern Appalachian lens of its origin.
“For us, it’s all about the interaction between the audience and the band — doing whatever we can onstage to facilitate that two-way street of energy and emotion,” says mandolinist Phil Barker. “Whether it’s a danceable groove or a particular lyric in a song, we’re projecting what we’re going through in our daily lives, and we feel that other people can attest to that, as well — it’s all about making that connection.”
Amid a renewed sense of self is the group’s latest album, “Lines in the Levee,” a collage of sound and scope running the gamut of the musical spectrum in the same template of freedom and focus found in the round-robin fashion of the musical institution that is The Band — a solidarity also found in the incendiary live shows Town Mountain is now revered for from coast-to-coast, this devil-may-care gang of strings and swagger.
Booking: Town Mountain Sub Booking: Lines in the Levee TourCrystal Bowersox is an American singer/songwriter. Originally from northwest Ohio, Crystal currently lives in Nashville, TN, USA. Crystal’s love for music developed at an early age, stemming from the need to find peace in a chaotic world. For her, music has always been the most effective form of catharsis.
Crystal moved to Chicago, IL at 17 years old, where she spent her days performing underground on subway platforms between working odd jobs. While in Chicago, she broadened her musical horizons and shared her talents in a variety of venues, ultimately auditioning for the ninth season of American Idol. She has used her talents to benefit several causes close to her heart and has become an inspiration for people living with Type 1 Diabetes.
Crystal draws upon her various influences to make the kind of music that resonates with her spirit. It is both tender and tough, rough yet polished, and encompasses many genres without falling neatly into only one.
Her mission is to bring a positive message and healing to the world.
Booking: Crystal Bowersox Sub Booking:WHAT IS ALO, A.K.A. ANIMAL LIBERATION ORCHESTRA?
ALO is a lot of things. Put simply, it’s a rock band, a family, an artistic outlet, a community, a business. But that only scratches the surface of this 3O-year musical vision-quest. ALO is an adventure, it’s a Spring break road trip to Colorado, it’s an all-night drive from Salt Lake City to San Jose. It’s the comfort of hanging out with life-long friends, of relaxing on a couch and finding treasures hidden in its cushions. It’s a coffee table full of amazing books on art, philosophy and music.
It feels old and new, fresh and classic. It holds tension and dreams and possibility in its folds. It hopes to unveil something magical, something unheard of, something the world needs. It smells of super burritos and vans full of lemons, old bongs and epic hikes. It’s a sound of growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s a sound of northern California, with sprinkles of Santa Barbara and Augusta, Georgia.
It was born of childhood friendships, of shared destinies, of inside jokes and of a desire to make people happy. It’s not for everyone, although it tries to be. It wants you to love and share in its vision. It’s long and meandering, then suddenly sharp, abrupt!
It’s feral and clever, and it means you no harm. It’s love and freedom, collected and catalogued, then released back into the wilds from whence it came, over and over again. It’s an orchestrated liberation of our animal soul.
Booking: ALO Sub Booking:Ask Al Stewart to sum up where he is now, musically speaking, and you’re likely to wind up two steps behind where you started; this is by no means an unusual circumstance in conversation with Al, keenly aware as he is that making a leap forward often entails taking a step backward. Sometimes it’s into the library stacks where the late historian Ms. Tuchman dug for material. Sometimes it’s into the record stacks where the late rocker Mr. Cochran made his mark as a teenager singing his “Summertime Blues” so many summertime’s ago.
Al Stewart came to stardom as part of the legendary British folk revival in the sixties and seventies and developed the combination of folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history. Stewart has 19 studio albums between “Bedsitter Images” in 1967 and “Sparks of Ancient Light” in 2008, plus the live album "Uncorked" with Dave Nachmanoff in 2009.
Al continues to tour extensively around the U.S. and Europe. He is perhaps best known for his hits ‘Year of the Cat” from the Platinum album of the same name and the Platinum follow up album “Time Passages.” But his career spans four decades as a key figure in British music. He played at the first ever Glastonbury Festival in 1970, worked with Yoko Ono pre-Lennon and shared a London apartment with a young Paul Simon.
Booking: Al Stewart with The Empty Pockets Sub Booking:This is a FREE outdoor concert in the parking lot at FTC. A FREE ticket is required for entry. The event goes from 5:30 to 8:30.
• Free tasting TBA
• Rain or shine
• Bring your own chair & good vibes
• Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse
Formed in the fall of 2017, 4 guys who love the Grateful Dead decided to play a local dive bar on Tuesday Nights, Matty’s Corner in Black Rock, for beers and tips just to see what would come of it. They instantly bonded over the music and vibe of the scene they created and started packing the place weekly. We soon grew out of Matty’s and were offered the coveted Wednesday night slot at BRYAC in Blackrock. The band was rounded out with a steady keyboard player and we were off. We spent many Wednesday nights exploring the music and adding to our massive catalog of songs that includes the music of the Grateful Dead, Phish, Dylan, The Allman Brothers, The Band, Ween and so much more… These days Alligator still calls BRYAC our home but can also be found in various venues around CT and NY playing the music of the Grateful Dead and beyond. For us it always was and still is all about the music.
Booking: Fresh-Air Outdoor Concert Series - Alligator (2 Sets) Sub Booking:Believe Your GRReatness is a local 501(c)(3) non-profit advocating "Music for Mental Health". Our Mission is to spread the healing power of music by promoting music education through the Gil Rodriguez Scholarship Fund, and through Free or Reduced instruments and music lessons for those battling depression or struggling with other mental health issues.
Music can play a valuable role in dealing with mental illness and can support positive changes in behavior and wellbeing. It can stimulate emotional responses and improve creative expression. It helps cultivate confidence and self-esteem. It also aids in building friendships by developing communication and social skills, and meeting others with similar interests.
Our hope is to help expose at risk individuals to the healing power of music to help combat the mental health and suicide crisis facing us.
If you or someone you know could benefit from music lessons, or if you would like to donate an instrument or your time as an instructor, please contact us at believeyourgrreatness.org
Booking: Believe Your GRReatness - Music for Mental Health Sub Booking: Featuring Tangled Vine, Next Day Delivery, & School of Rock FairfieldThis is a FREE outdoor concert in the parking lot at FTC. A FREE ticket is required for entry. The event goes from 5:30 to 8:30.
• Beer Tasting TBA
• Rain or shine
• Bring your own chair & good vibes
• Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse
The Tines are a new outfit helmed by New Haven Connecticut’s S.G. Carlson.The band was formed as a recording project in late 2019 featuring members of Ports of Spain, Laundry Day, Quiet Giant, and Ryxno. They explore a fascination with the mundane, the grandiose, and good and bad uses of free time.
In the course of his young career S.G. Carlson has performed with the likes of Andy Shauf, Michael Nau, Vetiver, Erin Durant, The Suitcase Junket, Christopher Paul Stelling, Brook Pridemore, Frontier Ruckus, Jake McKelvie, and Sean Rowe. The sound of The Tines has been sharpened to a point over the course of two self produced S.G. Carlson records beginning with the widely cast net of Sing The Hits (2020). The Enemy Is Listening was released the same year on the freshly formed Free As Birds Records, owned by Alex Burnet of Laundry Day. Now fully formed, The band are embarking on their first album as The Tines.
"Big, layered, and gloriously warm. Imagine a fuzzed-out Andy Shauf or a DIY Wilco." - Post Trash "(Carlson's) unassuming demeanor masks a rich musical background and artistic presence" - New Haven Independent "soaked in indie rock and thrumming bass, tinged with an old school sensibility" - Arts Council "Warm melodies and lyrics that easily catch your brain's eye" - CT Verses
Booking: Fresh-Air Outdoor Concert Series - The Tines Sub Booking:Close your eyes and be transported from Spain to Morocco, from France to Colombia, and from Africa back home again with more stops in between. Jesse Cook’s rumba flamenco style is aggressive, seductive, and note for note perfection. Firmly entrenched as a Jazz Fest favorite, his comfortable Spanish guitar-meets-world-music formula is familiar to all who are present.
A dubbed ‘Techno Geek,’ Cook is no stranger to digital technology. Many tracks off of his newest release incorporates drum loops and various types of electronica to make for a fast, furious, expressive, and clean take on flamenco.
“Jesse Cook plays with a proficiency and style that most guitarists can only conjure up in their sleep.” – Tucson Lifestyle
Booking: Jesse Cook Sub Booking:“It’s exciting to work with talented people outside the strict structure of a band,” says bassist/singer James Searl of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (GPGDS). That statement rang true during the creation of their diverse new album Love In Time, which came out April 7 th via Easy Star Records. Influenced by the need for more social and personal connection during the pandemic, GPGDS wanted to lean into the “squad” in their name by working and collaborating with artists outside of their tight knit circle. Their powerful first single “Chants” exemplifies the approach with the help of legendary vocalist Clinton Fearon (of Gladiators fame) and Ghanaian atenteben player Dela Botri.
Formed in 2001 in Rochester, NY, Giant Panda first received praise for their live show, which combined world beats and reggae rhythms with an urgent energy and jamband dynamics. It’s no surprise that Live For Live Music called the band, “…one of the most innovative and genre- pushing reggae bands out there.” The twenty year-old band consists of Dylan Savage (guitar, vocals), James Searl (bass, vocals), Chris O'Brian (drums, vocals), Eli Flynn (guitar, vocals), and Tony Gallicchio (keyboards). Beyond their celebrated live energy, Panda has also released six studio albums, ranging from their alternative Americana releases Country (2012) and Bright Days (2015) to their Billboard Reggae Chart toppers Steady (2014) and Make It Better (2016), Giant Panda has built an extensive and eclectic catalog that stands the test of time. Love In Time delivers a fresh new evolution of the band’s trademark sound that results from their newly collaborative approach.
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad are: JAMES SEARL // bass, vox CHRIS O'BRIAN // drums, vox DYLAN SAVAGE // guitar, vox TONY GALLICCHIO // keys ELI FLYNN // guitar, vox
Booking: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad Sub Booking:This is a FREE outdoor concert in the parking lot at FTC. A ticket is required for entry. The event goes from 5:30 to 8:30.
• Free Tasting TBA
• Rain or shine
• Bring your own chair & good vibes
• Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse
Led by choice horn melodies built on boisterous grooves, and launching off of hypnotic dance rhythms, Drop Party is a genre- bending American 7-piece band seamlessly carved out of the coastal Connecticut post ska scene, endowed with new age funk, apt to get the crowd moving.
Formally created in 2018, lifelong friends Anthony Chabla (percussion), Ryan Furbush (alto sax), Jake Krasniewicz (bass and vocals), Dan Raccuia (trumpet), Jacob Raccuia (tenor sax), Zach Rader (drums), and Jeff Wickun (guitar and vocals) bring a lush culmination of talent and sound to Drop Party.
Their newest release “What Can I Say” combines the power of their live chemistry with great songwriting and craft. The better elements of modern groove greats Ripe and Vulfpeck come to the fore with intricate horn lines weaving through a seamless and unrelenting rhythm section. This is genre-less without out being unfocused, there truly is a little bit of something for everyone in Drop Party’s sound. Whether it’s the more blues guitar elements or the Motown style bass breaks, Drop Party show they’ve got staying power on musicianship alone.
In case of inclement weather the concert will be moved into The Warehouse.
Booking: Fresh-Air Outdoor Concert Series - Drop Party Sub Booking:**This ticketed show will take place outdoors in The Parking Lot outside The Warehouse. You can bring your own chair if you'd like. Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse. In the event of bad weather, the show will be moved inside The Warehouse.
Daniel Donato might be the most exciting musician in the scene right now. Incubated to the sounds of the Dead, educated by some of Nashville’s finest players, and having more than 2,000 shows under his belt and a social media presence, Daniel Donato is indeed a millennial whirligig of creative fire.
RIYL: Cosmic Country is for fans of the Grateful Dead, jam bands, country music, Billy Strings, Gram Parson, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and even the Byrds Nashville era
"That guy can flat-out pick better than I have heard in 20 years... Staggering timing and phrasing." — Joe Bonamassa
“Those searching for a guitar shredder with country twang and Grateful Dead roots need look no further.” — American Songwriter
Artist Website Artist Social Links Booking: Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country Sub Booking:George Porter, Jr. is best known as the bassist of The Meters, along with Art Neville, Leo Nocentelli and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste. The group was formed in the mid 60's and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of funk then called R&B. The Meters disbanded in 1977, but reformed in 1989. Today the original group still plays the occasional reunions but the Funky Meters, of which Porter and Neville are still members, most prominently keeps the spirit alive.
Porter’s rhythmic work in the Meters in lockstep with drummer Zigaboo Modeliste was epic. Those pockets, the long notes and fat holes, provided the cushion for Leo Nocentelli or Art Neville to play or sing over and created some of R&B history’s most memorable grooves.
Few bass players in the history of modern New Orleans music are as storied as George Porter Jr. During the course of a career spanning more then four decades, Porter has not only made a deep impression with his work in the Meters, but he’s notched session work with artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle, Robbie Robertson, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, Ryan Montbleau and live performances with Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno (and including recent studio releases with Warren Haynes and Bill Kreutzmann) just to name a few. Early in his career, Porter worked with seminal New Orleans artists like Allen Toussaint, Earl King, Lee Dorsey, and Johnny Adams, Irma Thomas, The Lastie Brothers again to only name a few.
Booking: George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners Sub Booking:Their laid-back vibe combined with beautifully crafted songs quickly captivates a crowd. Dangermuffin's ability to combine an undeniable beachy feel with acoustic folk and tight jams leaves almost any type of music fan satisfied and fulfilled. In 2018 they released the album Live at StageOne, along with the documentary Dreamin' In a Dream. 5 years later we can’t wait to see them let loose in The Warehouse.
In 2020, the band decided to take a well-deserved hiatus from touring and started exploring various avenues in both music and film production. In late 2021, and after going through several lineup evolutions, Dangermuffin is back as a versatile 4-piece band, adding Andrew Hendryx on mandolin to the core group of Lotti, Steven Sandifer, and Mike Sivilli.
The vocal-centric songs are delivered both via acoustic string band arrangements (think Greensky Bluegrass) and a drum-fueled groovy & fiery jam-influenced arrangement (think Goose), often within the same show! For the band and fans alike, this has led to some of Dangermuffin’s most inspired, exciting, and surprising performances of its career.
About recording the Live Album on StageOne: "Over the years, Dangermuffin has played hundreds of venues and made thousands of friends on the road. Some venues and communities are particularly memorable, either because of the weird sh*t that's happened there or because of a unique connection the band has established with the space and the fans in that area. FTC StageOne stands out as one of the band's favorite's to play because of the venue's superb management, its spacious but intimate setting, and the loving, passionate, badass fanbase in the Fairfield, CT area that brings an amazing energy to every show, inspiring the band to share every ounce of musical energy they have each time they play there. Of course, the band could think of no better place to record its first, epic live album."
Booking: Dangermuffin Sub Booking:
On Sale Schedule-
Artist Presale - 3/28/2023 10 AM
Member Presale - 3/30/2023 noon
Public On Sale - 3/31/2023 10 AM
In celebration of the 28th anniversary of their album Trace, Son Volt will be performing that album in its entirety, in addition to a selection of songs by Doug Sahm. It’s gonna to be a hell of a set.
In 2020, Son Volt planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of seminal album, Trace, with a tour that played the album from top to bottom. The pandemic had other plans. Flash forward to 2023 and they are on the road with a setlist that features Trace from beginning to end, an homage to Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados) and a celebration of 28 years of Son Volt. Son Volt’s latest record, Day of the Doug, revisits the music of legendary Texas troubadour Doug Sahm. But it’s much more than fond remembrance and colorful tribute. It is a summoning and a celebration of a songwriter and performer whose work forged country, Tex-Mex, rock, rhythm and blues, folk, and psychedelia into an utterly unique American sound. Day of the Doug steps confidently on the trails Sahm blazed. Like any journey to find a grail, Day of the Doug also seeks out all the things that make young artists fall in love with making music in the first place: adventure, youth novelty, and a chance to snatch a bit of immortality. “It's like reconnecting with a hero,” says Son Volt founder Jay Farrar. “And getting back to the same kind of perspective I had when I was starting out as a younger musician. I think it's just important to step back from what you normally do. Take stock. Take inspiration. And see where it leads from there.”
Booking: 28 Years of Son Volt: Songs of Trace & Doug Sahm Sub Booking:In 1992 Benoit released his first recording Nice and Warm on the Justice Label. The title track became a AAA Radio hit and Benoit’s touring career kicked into high gear. Nice and Warm prompted comparisons to blues guitar heavyweights like Albert King, Albert Collins and even Jimi Hendrix. Tab began playing two-hundred and fifty shows a year, a schedule he has kept up for over twenty years. He recorded four albums for Justice Records before being signed to the Vanguard label, and became Louisiana’s Number One Blues export. Vanguard allowed Tab to produce his own recordings; Tab wanted to record the sound that he was trying to create and in 1999 Vanguard Records released These Blues Are All Mine.
Tab Benoit’s music evolved again after he signed with the Telarc International/Concord Music Group in 2002. He began to strip it down to a three-piece group, where he found more freedom as a guitarist. He was also on a mission in wanting to use his music and his energy to bring attention to Louisiana’s coastal erosion issues. Tab began to spend more time in the Wetlands and it was where he began to write his songs. Wetlands was the title of his first Telac/Concord International release. The record combined many musical styles that are indigenous to Louisiana, while he began to play accordion lines and washboard on guitar. Wetlands was a mile marker that definitively marked Tab’s further musical progression into his own original sound and style.
Following the release of Wetlands in 2004 Benoit founded the Voice of the Wetlands non-profit organization and began to use music and gather other musicians to use their platforms for getting the message out. He put together an all-star band that featured Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, George Porter Jr, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Johnny Vidacovich, Johnny Sansone, and Waylon Thibodeaux that became The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars. The Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars have released two CDs and occasionally tour throughout the country.
Benoit recently launched his own imprint, Whiskey Bayou Records, with partner and manager, Rueben Williams. The label has thus far released albums by such established artists as Eric McFadden, Damon Fowler, Eric Johanson, Jeff McCarty, and Dash Rip Rock. In 2019 Benoit hits the road for a major U.S. Tour, the Whiskey Bayou Revue, featuring Benoit and several of his label’s artists.
Booking: Tab Benoit Sub Booking:If your name ends in a vowel, then this show is for you! Get ready for a night of non-stop laughter as Fairfield welcomes headliner Joe Matarese and some of the funniest Italian-American comedians to the FTC stage.
Joe Matarese has been on The Howard Stern Show, WTF with Marc Maron, The Late Show with David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents Joe Matarese (1/2 Hour Special), The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson, Last Comic Standing, Chelsea Lately, and The Better Half where he and his wife took home the winning prize. Joe was also featured on America’s Got Talent, where he received a standing ovation from all four celebrity judges.
Joe has two comedy specials, Medicated and The Poster's Wrong, both now available for free on YouTube. In the Spring of 2023, he will be releasing his third comedy special called Mullets and Mixtapes.
To learn more about Joe, visit his website https://www.joematarese.com
Booking: FTC Comedy Presents: Italian Comedy Night with Joe Matarese Sub Booking:This is a FREE outdoor concert in the parking lot at FTC. A ticket is required for entry. The event goes from 5:30 to 9:00.
• Free Tasting TBA
• Rain or shine
• Bring your own chair & good vibes
• Concessions and restrooms will be open inside The Warehouse
Jelly deftly crosses up the genres of funk, rock, jazz-fusion and soul. The music seeks to bridge the gaps between high-energy danceability, heavy riffs, powerhouse vocals and hooks, technical chops, improvisation, and deep DEEP pocket. No matter what their background, Jelly has something for any music fan to latch onto.
Matt Kampe [vocals, saxophone, keys, flute], Connor Oyster [vocals, bass], Devon Long [guitar], and Nate Lawson [drums].
In case of inclement weather the concert will be moved into The Warehouse.
Booking: Fresh-Air Outdoor Concert Series - Jelly (2 sets) Sub Booking:Guitar slinger Quinn Sullivan may be young but he’s already proven himself to be a giant in the world of blues. His latest music supports Buddy Guy's statement, “Players like Quinn come along once in a lifetime.” Since appearing onstage with Buddy Guy as a fresh-faced eight-year-old with a talent for pulling notes from the guitar, Sullivan built himself a reputation amongst the blues cognoscenti. He's appeared onstage with the likes of Eric Clapton, Los Lobos, Tedeschi Trucks, and Joe Bonamassa. Mighty heady stuff for a seasoned artist and definitely a mind-blowing adventure for a teenager.
Booking: Quinn Sullivan Sub Booking:CHUNKY SHRAPNEL is the much-anticipated feature length live music documentary that follows the hugely popular, hyper-prolific Australian band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard on their recent European tour. Literally bringing the audience onto the stage, CHUNKY offers a uniquely immersive experience never before captured on film… a musical road movie dipped in turpentine. King Gizzard has released 20 studio albums in 10 years (including five in 2017 alone), 10 of them charting in the Top 20 in Australia, where they are now arguably the country’s most innovative, important, and productive rock band. They attract international critical acclaim and have had a packed international touring schedule for many years. Their fans will jump at the chance to see them again.
SLEEPING MONSTER was filmed in Melbourne during the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Australia had one of the most strict lockdowns in the world,” Gizzard frontman Stu Mackenzie says. “We couldn’t really do anything. We couldn’t make music. But there were a few ways to legally get together, one of which was to make a film, so that’s what we did. We spent a lot of that period just filming and documenting everything as we recorded and did other things.” Indeed, Sleeping Monster captures the band members building their new studio (“We’re six skinny, scrawny musos, but we got our hands dirty,” Mackenzie said) and recording the album Changes, work on which began in 2017 but was finally released in October 2022. “It’s definitely part of the Changes world and sits alongside it.”
Directed By: John Angus Stewart/ Distributed By: Abramorama/ Genre: Documentary/ Run Time: 2hrs 7mins
Booking: Chunky Shrapnel + Sleeping Monster Sub Booking:Longtime friends and collaborators Hayley Jane and Ryan Montbleau have joined together to create something truly special. The duo composes humorous and heartfelt songs about love, romance, and your partner driving you absolutely nuts.
The self-titled album is due out today and will make you laugh and quite possibly cry. But, it'll all be worth it because Yes Darling is both delightful and appealing. Together they are soulful, pure, and timeless.
Ryan Montbleau has been an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and bandleader for more than a decade. Through relentless touring (both on his own and with The Ryan Montbleau Band) and recording seven studio albums, Ryan has earned a reputation for his gift for melody and a remarkably open-armed approach to songwriting.
Hayley Jane is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. She commands the stage with style, grace and a dynamic force that brings joy and inspiration to her devoted fanbase. Hayley Jane records and tours as a solo artist and with her national touring act, Hayley Jane and The Primates.
Booking: Yes Darling featuring Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane Sub Booking:Longtime friends and collaborators Hayley Jane and Ryan Montbleau have joined together to create something truly special. The duo composes humorous and heartfelt songs about love, romance, and your partner driving you absolutely nuts.
The self-titled album is due out today and will make you laugh and quite possibly cry. But, it'll all be worth it because Yes Darling is both delightful and appealing. Together they are soulful, pure, and timeless.
Ryan Montbleau has been an acclaimed singer, songwriter, and bandleader for more than a decade. Through relentless touring (both on his own and with The Ryan Montbleau Band) and recording seven studio albums, Ryan has earned a reputation for his gift for melody and a remarkably open-armed approach to songwriting.
Hayley Jane is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. She commands the stage with style, grace and a dynamic force that brings joy and inspiration to her devoted fanbase. Hayley Jane records and tours as a solo artist and with her national touring act, Hayley Jane and The Primates.
Booking: Yes Darling featuring Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane Sub Booking:From Oscar-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, WILD LIFE follows conservationist Kris Tompkins on an epic, decades-spanning love story as wild as the landscapes she dedicated her life to protecting. After falling in love in mid-life, Kris and the outdoorsman and entrepreneur Doug Tompkins left behind the world of the massively successful outdoor brands they'd helped pioneer -- Patagonia, The North Face, and Esprit -- and turned their attention to a visionary effort to create National Parks throughout Chile and Argentina. WILD LIFE chronicles the highs and lows of their journey to affect the largest private land donation in history.
Alex Perry - Alex grew up in Southport, Connecticut where he attended Greens Farms Academy, spending his junior year of high school at School Year Abroad (SYA), Spain. He went on to attend the University of Rochester where he graduated with a B.S. in Political Science. From Rochester, NY he headed to the mountains of Colorado to ski full time. From Colorado Alex went South to work throughout Latin America guiding tours and working with local non-profit organizations. Alex is a passionate skier, surfer, sailor, fly fisherman and trail runner.
Alex joined Patagonia in 2014 on the North America wholesale team, working as an Associate Rep in the Midwest and New England. In 2015, Alex moved to the International division as an International Coordinator. In 2018, Alex was named General Manager of Latin America for Patagonia.
Alex is responsible for the company and brand in Latin America. This means leading Patagonia’s impact and enviro activism work in the region, being responsible for Patagonia’s 175 employees, 13 retails stores, and numerous digital websites in Latin America, and creating the company’s strategic plans and vision.
Booking: Wild Life Sub Booking: Zoom Q&A with Alex Perry after the filmSince 1998, The Motet have inspired the world with their unique style of dance music. Over the course of nine full-length albums, they’ve traversed the lines between funk, soul, jazz, and rock and built a diehard audience in the process. They’ve headlined Red Rocks Amphitheatre six times and sold out countless legendary venues coast-to-coast. In addition to racking up nearly 20 million total streams and views, they’ve also garnered widespread acclaim from numerous publications including Relix, Glide Magazine, and AXS. The band has also graced the stages of festivals such as Bonnaroo, Bottlerock, Electric Forest, Bumbershoot, Summer Camp, and High Sierra.
ARTIST WEBSITE
themotet.com
THE MUSHROOM CLOUD
The Mushroom Cloud is an original rock band from New Haven, CT founded by brothers Paul and Russ Harris. Since their inception in 2011, the band has been blending heavy rock riffs with funk, electronica, and extended improvisation while mixing captivating instrumentals and well-written lyrics. The Mushroom Cloud is continuously pushing their own limits on-stage and they’re bringing their high-energy dance party to cities all over the east coast.
Booking: The Motet Sub Booking:FTC is proud to once again participate in Make Music Day and its return to Fairfield on Wednesday, June 21, 12-9PM. Make Music Day is a free, outdoor music festival celebrated worldwide on the Summer Solstice each year. “Music by the People, for the People.” A Free Celebration Open to Anyone of Any Age, Skill Level and Musical Persuasion!
Sean O'Reilly - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The Moonrise Cartel - 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Adrenaline - 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Residual Groove - 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
View Full Schedule here - https://www.makemusicday.org/fairfield/
Booking: Make Music Day Fairfield Sub Booking: Free Community EventToad the Wet Sprocket is still making new music and touring with the same spirit of unwavering independence that started it all over three decades ago.
The band is thankful for the continued help and enthusiastic support of their fans, which helped spur the release of All You Want and also serves as inspiration for the band to not only tour and play live, but to continue to make new original music together. They continue to support their most recent release, Starting Now (2021), as well as their previous album New Constellation (2013), and EP The Architect of Ruin (2015). Toad the Wet Sprocket share in the kind of musical chemistry that can only come from meeting in high school and writing, recording, and touring on albums over the course of time. After Bread & Circus, they followed with Pale in 1990, fear in ’91, Dulcinea in 1994, and Coil in 1997, as well as some compilations along the way. While most will still feel the comforting familiarity of the Billboard-charting hits, “Walk on the Ocean”, “All I Want”, “Something’s Always Wrong”, and “Fall Down”, fans will also be well familiar with tracks with lyrics that resonate for so many life milestones like “The Moment”, “I Will Not Take These Things for Granted”, “Transient Whales” and so many more.
Description of package: $90 + ticket face + service fees
One (1) Event Ticket
Meet & Greet and Photo Opportunity with Toad the Wet Sprocket
Invitation to Exclusive Pre-Show Acoustic Performance
One (1) Limited Edition Event Poster
One (1) Commemorative Laminate
Bumpin Uglies knows all about hustle. The Maryland reggae-rock band had spent more than a decade on the road, starting with local open mics and backyard parties and growing into road warriors, building an ever-expanding audience with sold-out shows in clubs and prime spots at festivals from coast to coast, on one national tour after another. Then the pandemic hit, and touring shut down.
After being in motion for so long, singer and lead guitarist Brandon Hardesty wasn’t about to sit still, even if he couldn’t be out on tour. In fact, Bumpin Uglies never really stopped working — they adapted. The group returned to playing backyard parties around Annapolis, where they’re based, and added socially distanced concerts and full-band livestreams. In the fall of 2020, they also started releasing a new song every month as part of a project called the Never Ending Drop.
The band recently released their seventh studio album, Mid-Atlantic Dub, in the Fall of 2022. After showing the breadth of Bumpin Uglies’ influences on the Never Ending Drop, from folk to classic country to hip-hop, Mid-Atlantic Dub brings the group — also featuring Dave Wolf on bass and vocals, Ethan Lichtenberger on keyboards and TJ Haslett on drums — back to the core of what they do!
Booking: Bumpin Uglies with Mike Pinto Sub Booking:Working outside the confines of the traditional music industry, Adam Ezra and his bandmates – Corinna Smith (fiddle), Alex Martin (drums), Poche Ponce (bass) - built a community of fans through sheer grit and determination, regularly performing hundreds of shows a year for the past two decades without any major label or mainstream radio support. Fusing folk intimacy and rock energy with soul power and pop charm, the band first emerged from Boston in the early 2000s and quickly garnered widespread acclaim for their bold, insightful songwriting and interactive, euphoric performances. From hole in the wall bars and house concerts to sold-out headline shows and dates with the likes of Little Big Town, The Wallflowers, Gavin DeGraw, Train, and The Wailers, Ezra and his bandmates treated every single gig like their last, attracting a die-hard following that believed not just in the music, but in their commitment to activism and social change, as well. What comes next for the Adam Ezra Group? The future is anyone’s guess right now, and the only thing the Adam Ezra Group knows for sure, is they’ll be out there making music however and whenever they can.
Booking: Adam Ezra Group Sub Booking:Just in time for Father's day, FTC proudly presents an evening of photography, stories, and a book signing with music producer, manager, and Rock Hall of Fame exhibited photographer, Michael Friedman. Friedman's lost negatives of legendary 60's & 70's musicians were recently discovered after being lost for 50 years. The evening celebrates the launch of Friedman's new book exposed featuring behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-published photographs of Janis Joplin, The Band, Todd Rundgren, Kris Kristofferson, The Rolling Stones and other music legends.
A Fairfield native, Michael Friedman didn’t set out to be an acclaimed rock ’n' roll photographer. Back in the early ‘60s he was a young man trying to make it as a publicist/manager in New York and Woodstock, working with up-and-coming rock, folk, and pop artists who became friends. He was also an avid photographer documenting his experience working with musicians who turned out to become legends - performing, rehearsing, just being themselves. Friedman took thousands of photos capturing the essence of that historic period, but lost track of the negatives before he had a chance to print them. Nearly 50 years later his wife, Donna Vita, found the treasure trove of negatives and began the Lost Negatives Project, restoring and exhibiting this extraordinary collection at museums and galleries. Now memorialized in Friedman and Vita's new book, EXPOSED: The Lost Negatives and Untold Stories of Michael Friedman features over 100 more never-before-seen photos of music history.
After a cocktail reception and photo exhibit, WPKN’s Steve di Costanzo will moderate a presentation and discussion with Michael about his life and times with music legends who would define the Woodstock era. Followed by a book signing and opportunity to purchase prints, the Perfect Father’s Day gifts for your music-loving Dad (or husband!).
Booking: An Evening with Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Photographer Michael Friedman Sub Booking:A new restoration of the Academy Award-nominated MY ARCHITECT, which received rapturous reviews when it first opened at Film Forum nearly 20 years ago. Louis Kahn, who in 1974 died bankrupt and alone in New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, is considered by many architectural historians to be the most important architect of the second half of the 20th century. He left behind a brilliant legacy of intensely powerful and spiritual buildings – geometric compositions of brick, concrete, and light, that in the words of the L.A. Times “change your life.” Kahn’s dramatic death laid bare a complex personal life of secrets and broken promises: he led not a double, but a triple life. In addition to his wife and daughter, there were two non-marital children by two women with whom he maintained long-term relationships.
In MY ARCHITECT, one of these children, Kahn’s only son, Nathaniel, sets out on an epic journey to reconcile his father’s life and work. I.M. Pei, Frank Gehry, and Philip Johnson speak movingly of Kahn’s work (the Salk Institute, the Exeter Library, the Kimbell Art Museum, the Capital Complex of Bangladesh) and the women and children in his life shed light on this secretive, peripatetic man—a dynamo who gave selflessly to his art – but whose relationships were left on the drawing board, only to find completion in this wonderful film.
Directed By: Nathaniel Kahn/ Distributed By: Abramorama/ Genre: Documentary/ Run Time: 1hr 56mins
Booking: My Architect Sub Booking:Dave Attell is a stand-up comedian, actor and writer, best known as the host of Comedy Central's
INSOMNIAC WITH DAVE ATTELL, which gave him a cult following. He can next be seen in the Hulu series
LIFE & BETH alongside Amy Schumer, Michael Rapaport, and Michael Cera. He can also be seen on
BUMPING MICS with Jeff Ross, currently streaming on Netflix, and HBO’s CRASHING with Pete Holmes.
His series DAVE’S OLD PORN ran for 2 seasons on Showtime, and his stand up series, DAVE ATTELL’S
COMEDY UNDERGROUND, and his one hour special, ROAD WORK, were featured on Comedy Central.
ROAD WORK is currently streaming on Netflix.
His film credits include Chris Rock’s cult film, POOTIE TANG, FUNNY PEOPLE, SCARY MOVIE 4, and LOS
ENCHILADAS and in the Amy Schumer films TRAINWRECK and I FEEL PRETTY. His television credits
include, THE SIMPSONS, DIFFICULT PEOPLE, BOB’S BURGERS, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, THE JIM
GAFFIGAN SHOW, THE JIM NORTON SHOW, INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, LOUIE, ED, EVERYBODY LOVES
RAYMOND, and TOUGH CROWD WITH COLIN QUINN. He was named one of the “25 Funniest People in
America” by Entertainment Weekly Magazine. When not on the road, Attell makes regular appearances
at the Comedy Cellar in New York City.
Dave Attell is a stand-up comedian, actor and writer, best known as the host of Comedy Central's
INSOMNIAC WITH DAVE ATTELL, which gave him a cult following. He can next be seen in the Hulu series
LIFE & BETH alongside Amy Schumer, Michael Rapaport, and Michael Cera. He can also be seen on
BUMPING MICS with Jeff Ross, currently streaming on Netflix, and HBO’s CRASHING with Pete Holmes.
His series DAVE’S OLD PORN ran for 2 seasons on Showtime, and his stand up series, DAVE ATTELL’S
COMEDY UNDERGROUND, and his one hour special, ROAD WORK, were featured on Comedy Central.
ROAD WORK is currently streaming on Netflix.
His film credits include Chris Rock’s cult film, POOTIE TANG, FUNNY PEOPLE, SCARY MOVIE 4, and LOS
ENCHILADAS and in the Amy Schumer films TRAINWRECK and I FEEL PRETTY. His television credits
include, THE SIMPSONS, DIFFICULT PEOPLE, BOB’S BURGERS, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, THE JIM
GAFFIGAN SHOW, THE JIM NORTON SHOW, INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, LOUIE, ED, EVERYBODY LOVES
RAYMOND, and TOUGH CROWD WITH COLIN QUINN. He was named one of the “25 Funniest People in
America” by Entertainment Weekly Magazine. When not on the road, Attell makes regular appearances
at the Comedy Cellar in New York City.
To close out the 80’s, Fairfield University band Split Decision found immediate success with their blend of guitar-driven new wave rock invoking R.E.M., Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, and Talking Heads. On the heels of their triumphant return to the stage in 2022, Split Decision presents an encore concert on June 9th, 2023 for Fairfield University Reunion Weekend, open to the public and all Fairfield alums.
Headlining the first Fairfield beach Clam Jam in 1987 and biweekly shows at town venues that drew throngs of loyal fans, the band left its mark on the Fairfield County music scene of the late ‘80s. The band reunited in 2022 and treated a thrilled capacity crowd at Park City Music Hall to nearly three hours of frenetic dance-inspiring rock and fun, earning a new generation of fans.
Split Decision features lead singer James Dennis O’Brien ’88 who has continued to perform the past three decades at East Coast venues with When I Woke, then The Shelleys out of Manhattan, (https://tinyurl.com/TheShelleys) and most recently O’Tasty based in Washington, DC (https://tinyurl.com/Otasty); Kevin Kuryla ’88 Bass; Mary Guerin ’88 Vocals; Pete Holland ’88 Saxophone; Brian Machler ’87 Guitar/Vocals; Pete Bongiorno ’90 Drums/Vocals; and Ben de la Cruz ’89 Keyboards/Percussion.
The concert will feature a second reunion of a popular NY metro band as the 1990s alternative rock group When I Woke performs for their first show together in 30 years, making this 2023’s “can’t miss” event for college rock music lovers of any age. When I Woke features lead singer O’Brien; Bill Van Wart ’89, Bass/Vocals; Jim Hannon ’89 Guitar/Vocals; Kuryla, De la Cruz, Bongiorno, and Holland.
Booking: Split Decision Sub Booking: w/ Special Guest: When I Woke • Fairfield University Reunion Weekend Concert"I sing for my supper” says Connecticut based singer-songwriter, Drew Angus (http://www.drewangus.com/epk) who is just the kind of new blood that makes New Americana music so enduring. With indelible hooks, savvy craftsmanship and relatable lyrics, he brings a certain verve to his work that resonates with audiences and fellow performers alike.
Drew found his love for music growing up in a house filled with the sounds of artists like Tom Petty, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. He’s Influenced by these classic rock sounds mixed with artists of today like Ben Rector, The Lone Bellow, and John Mayer. Drew’s music is heartfelt, nostalgic, clever, and catchy, with some vocal fireworks, and harmonies that will give you the shivers. He describes it as the intersection of Americana and Rock ‘n Roll with a little bit of Funk and Retro Soul.
His work ethic and captivating nature have led him down some pretty amazing paths. Drew has shared stages with Stevie Nicks, Harry Styles and Nile Rogers (on SNL), Pat Benatar, Ann Willson of Heart, Andrea Bocelli (on Live with Kelly & Ryan), and has toured with Marc Broussard. The up-and-coming artist is quickly gaining a following with his lively performances and soulful singing.
Drew is one to watch. Plus he’s got great hair.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Instagram - @drewangusmusic Facebook - @drewangusmusic TikTok - @drewangusmusic
Booking: Drew Angus Sub Booking:Singer, guitarist, and folk music interpreter Jake Xerxes Fussell has distinguished himself as one of his generation’s preeminent interpreters of traditional (and not so traditional) “folk” songs, a practice which he approaches with a refreshingly unfussy lack of nostalgia. By recontextualizing ancient vernacular songs and sources of the American South, he allows them to breathe and speak for themselves and for himself; he alternately inhabits them and allows them to inhabit him. In all his work, Fussell humanizes his material with his own curatorial and interpretive gifts, unmooring stories and melodies from their specific eras and origins and setting them adrift in our own waterways.
Fussell’s new album Good and Green Again was released Jan 21, 2022 via Paradise of Bachelors. Produced by James Elkington, the record navigates fresh sonic and compositional landscapes and is, perhaps, his most conceptually focused to-date. Fussell and Elkington enlisted a group of formidable players hailing from Durham, North Carolina (where Fussell lives) and elsewhere, including regular bandmembers Casey Toll on upright bass, Libby Rodenbough on strings, and Nathan Golub on pedal steel. They were joined by welcome newcomers Joe Westerlund (Megafaun, Califone) on drums, Joseph Decosimo on fiddle, Anna Jacobson on brass, and Bonnie “Prince” Billy, who contributes additional vocals.
"...Fussell is the rare contemporary to approach folk in its pure form, shunning self-penned compositions about bummer relationships to concentrate on material handed down from bygone, hardened times." - The New Yorker
“Jake Xerxes Fussell who is, to me, maybe the leading interpreter of American folk music right now…” - Ann Powers (NPR All Songs Considered)
"For (Fussell) a song is no older than the last time it was sung. His fourth album, Good And Green Again is his most thoughtful, his most eloquent, and his most poignant explication of this idea." - Uncut (Feb '22 Album of the Month)
"Fussell, who has won admirers including Will Oldham, Wilco and Bill Callahan, is one of the great magpies of American song, collecting forgotten, tarnished gems with a folklorist’s zeal... his renditions aren’t so much cover versions as composites..." - The Guardian
Booking: Jake Xerxes Fussell Sub Booking:The paw-inspiring story of the most beloved animal sanctuary in the world, the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. From their humble beginnings as a small backyard sanctuary, we follow founders Zina and Michael Goodin, their amazing staff, and the gang of one hundred-plus senior pooches, as they grow and settle into a brand new 20,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility. You’ll meet the dogs and the people who fostered them and gave them a reason to wag their tails. It’s a tale of compassion and commitment, where love knows no bounds, and as Zina likes to say, “The sky is the limit.” Old Friends, A Dogumentary, a film about a place where love never grows old.
Red Leash Rescue will be here with a couple of dogs that are available to adopt.
Red Leash Rescue mission: is to provide refuge, love and care to abandoned, surrendered or discarded dogs in our community.
Directed By: Gorman Bechard/ Distributed by: What Were We Thinking Films/ Genre: Documentary/ Run Time: 1hr 58mins
There will be a Q&A with director Gorman Bechard after the film. From the director of Pizza, A Love Story and Where are you, Jay Bennett.
All proceeds will go to Highway Animal Hospital.
Send us a picture and name of your dog(s), we'll have a slideshow with the photo submissions playing before the film. Email photos to takeshi@fairfieldtheatre.org.
Booking: Old Friends a Dogumentary Sub Booking: Generously Underwritten by Earth AnimalRob Morton is a singer/songwriter from right here in Fairfield County. His warm vocals have been compared to Jack Johnson and John Mayer. (But just by Rob, not really by anyone else.) His song, Just One More Day with You, has won national awards and has been played on the radio. Two other of his original songs, Little Notes and Lucky Back Then, have also been played on the radio. He has released two full- length albums, Private Moon and Lucky Back Then. This Album Release Party is for his third upcoming album. (The title is still secret as of this caption deadline.) The release party will include the full band playing Rob’s originals as well as some classic covers. Rob will be encouraging you to sing along on a few songs, so bring the fun. On Instagram, Rob makes "multi-frame" videos where he will plays all the instruments and sings all the parts. Many of his multi-frame videos have 10s of thousands of views. He is @robmortonmusic on Instagram if you’d like to hear more. Ticket price includes appetizers served before the show.
Booking: Rob Morton Sub Booking:Brown Eyed Women, the world's only all female Grateful Dead tribute ensemble, features musicians from popular bands around the country. They celebrate the music of the Grateful Dead with a unique spin.
Members hail from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, New York, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Their high-caliber musicianship and shared love of the Dead drew them together. This band is decidedly different in a field brimming with tribute acts. BEW brings authentic jams and a soulful new approach to the familiar Grateful Dead catalog.
Booking: Brown Eyed Women Sub Booking: