Amped Up Music Series @ Red Hat Amphitheater

Raleigh, NC & Brooklyn, NY based hip hop group, Kooley High, has been honing their craft of beats and rhymes for well over a decade now. Kooley blends their love for classic boom bap and lyrical content with a modern day vibe that pays homage while maintaining an original feel.

An unwavering dedication to their sound has enabled them to collaborate with artists like Skyzoo, Rapsody, Statik Selektah, & 9th Wonder.  With thousands of live shows and numerous albums under their belt, Kooley High is a gift to anyone who still yearns for dope beats & dope rhymes.  Kooley is High."

The Hot at Nights are a contemporary jazz band whose material ranges from rollicking grooves to wailing sessions with a sound shaped by elements of R&B, rock, and electronic music. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, the band features engineer and producer Chris Boerner on eight-string guitar, Matt Douglas on woodwinds, and Nick Baglio on drums and keyboards. Douglas has played in the Proclivities with Boerner, who has also been part of the extended Foreign Exchange family with Baglio. The trio has released three albums, all issued through Boerner's label: Nice Talk (2011), ¡Try This! (2013), and the more studied and electronics-heavy Three Kids (2017), which featured a guest appearance from guitarist Charlie Hunter. Additionally, the Hot at Nights have backed the Foreign Exchange's Nicolay for Shibuya Session EP. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi

Eric Gales grew up in a musical family with four brothers, two of them who learned to play the guitar upside down and left handed in the same fashion that Eric does. Eric released his first record at Age 16 for Elektra records to an amazing response from the media and music fans around the globe. Guitar World Magazine’s Reader’s Poll named Eric as “Best New Talent,” in 1991. After recording a second record for Elektra, all three brothers teamed up for The Gales Bros. “Left Hand Brand” which was recorded for the House of Blues label in 1996. Through the years, it would not be unusual to look out in the audience and see artists like Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson, B. B. King, and Eric Clapton, looking on with interest as Eric took his guitar and worked crowd after crowd into a frenzy. The new millennium presented fresh opportunities for Eric. He was signed to a deal with Nightbird Records which was affiliated with the Hendrix family and distributed through MCA/Universal. Under this deal, Eric recorded the critically acclaimed record “That’s What I Am” in 2001 and hit the road, mesmerizing fans around the world with his uncanny connection to his guitar. In 2006 Eric recorded the CD “Crystal Vision” for Shrapnel Records and set the stage for his Blues Bureau Division follow-up, “The Psychedelic Underground”. In 2010 Eric released the critically successful album "Relentless" following it up with the equally powerful album “Transformation”. In 2014 a spiritually renewed Eric Gales released “Good For Sumthin’”. Released by Cleopatra Records and produced by Raphael Saadiq. His follow up project was the Double Live CD/DVD “A Night on the Sunset Strip” in 2016. From there Eric signed with Mascot Label Group in 2017. He has released two albums on this label, 2018’s “Middle of the Road” and 2019’s “The Bookends” both deeply personal and introspective works. As both an African-American left-handed guitarist of extraordinary ability and an expressive vocalist, it is natural for people to compare Eric to Hendrix. But Eric has developed a unique hybrid blues/rock sound that also draws upon influences as diverse as Albert King and Frank Gambale. A unique amalgam of styles, Eric Gales stands head and shoulders among other guitarists in his genre.

Built around a powerful voice and hard-driving rock ‘n’ soul rhythm section, Asheville, NC’s DownTown Abby & The Echoes has begun to secure a foothold in the Southeast music scene.

Founded by Bailey Faulkner (guitar) and Abby Bryant (vocals, keys), the two formed the band out of distinctly different musical upbringings.

Throughout his youth, Faulkner developed his musical foundation from his parent’s love of The Beatles and guitar-driven classic rock staples. Hailing from the same hometown, Bryant formed her musical intuition at home and church where she began singing at only five years old under the direction of her music minister father. With her ear and voice trained on gospel and hymns and a spiritual connection to music, Bryant set the stage for her future career in music.

First meeting in high school, the future founders of the band combined their unique influences – Bryant embraced new genres and a sultry soul and Faulkner found the voice to front his melody-centered arrangements.

Listeners will find it hard not to hear similarities to some of the artists that inspire the two including currently touring acts Tedeschi Trucks Band, Grace Potter, and Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds. At the same time, one cannot deny that even with DownTown Abby & The Echoes’ youthfulness, the band connects to the roots of the music in the members’ hearts.

Two of North Carolina’s veteran bluegrass musicians-- Hank Smith on Banjo and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw on fiddle--  join forces with some of the most versatile musicians in the Carolinas to create modern, American, acoustic music featuring the full range of their talents as composers and arrangers. The band is on tour regionally and nationally in support of their new album, RISE ABOVE on Robust Records.

The band makes use of traditional bluegrass instrumentation in a nontraditional way to present original music to the listener that goes beyond the limits of the idiom. The arrangements take on a new level of maturation that follows in the footsteps of Bela Fleck, Mark O'Connor, Chris Thile, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, and Tony Rice. Hank, Pattie & The Current want to pick up where seminal crossover groups like The Punch Brothers, Strength In Numbers and the ever-changing Bluegrass Allstars call home. The music is vocal and instrumental, allowing the band to experiment with arrangements and tailor the compositions to become vehicles for exploration. Hank Smith plays banjo, Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw plays fiddle and is lead vocalist.  The Current includes Billie Feather on guitar and Stevie Martinez on bass.

Some music cannot be found on a map or within iTunes categories. Some music is so original it seems snatched from the great, invisible substrata that runs below all human activity, a sound aching to be born without a flag or fixed allegiance – free, questing, overflowing with immediate, tangible life. This is the music of Toubab Krewe, the vibrant Asheville, NC-based instrumental powerhouse that creates a sonic Pangaea that lustily swirls together rock, African traditions, jam sensibilities, international folk strains and more. While nearly impossible to put into any box, it takes only a few moments to realize in a very palpable way that one is face-to-face with a true original who recognizes no borders in a march towards a muscular, original, globally switched-on sound.
 
Formed in 2005, Toubab Krewe has tenaciously honed their craft through relentless touring and a fierce dedication to carving out something they can truly call their own. The fruits of this hard work can be heard on their latest release, STYLO, (March 2nd, 2018). What Justin Perkins (kora, kamelngoni, guitar, percussion), Terrence Houston (drumset), Drew Heller (guitar, organ), Justin Kimmel (bass, keys), and Luke Quaranta (djembe, dunun, sangban, kenkeni, kryn, karenye) have wrought on STYLO reflects the many miles and musical journeys that have transpired since their last studio album, TK2.
 
This is a band that actively draws inspiration from whatever source floats into their purview, something they've exhibited in their decade and a half of heavy gigging, including regular appearances at major U.S. festivals like Bonnaroo, High Sierra, Electric Forest, Wakarusa, Hulaween, and abroad at such legendary gatherings as the Festival In The Desert in Essakane, Mali, Shanghai World Music Festival, and Jam Cruise. Whether on their own or collaborating with luminaries like the Last Poets' Umar Bin Hassan, Uncle Earl's Rayna Gellert, or Weedie Braimah, Toubab Krewe has already earned the attention and respect of a broad musical community.
 
Toubab carries echoes of African greats like Ali Farka Toure, Orchestra Baobab and Salif Keita, no doubt picked up during the group's travels to study and live in Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali.  But what truly differentiates Toubab Krewe from other Statesiders inspired by African music is how they innovate on what they've learned instead of simply recreating tradition. Toubab Krewe carves out a new trail honoring the African originators they admire by making something alive and contemporary.

Crucial Fiya is multi-faceted Reggae band that has the capability of performing for the most serious roots reggae music lover with a blend of R&B and classic rock for those in need of a good time with a Caribbean flavor.  Their capability of playing roots reggae has kept them on the cutting edge positive roots Rasta music.  They have earned respect from their friends, promoters, event coordinators and colleagues in the music industry.

Those who have experienced Crucial Fiya’s performances will attest to the subtle interaction with the audience. This interaction provides the opportunity to sing along to some of their favorite tunes with fluidity. So whether you are a coordinator, a booking agent, or an artist looking for an exceptionally reliable band, contact Crucial Fiya for an outstanding performance that promises to deliver. 

Crucial Fiya has worked with Zach Brown at the Walnut Creek Amphitheater grounds, Barrington Levy, Fanton Mojah, Mikey Dread, Frankie Paul, The Itals, Turbulence, Luciano and Everton Blender just to name a few.  They have shared the stage with Damien & Steven Marley, Bunny Wailer, Capelton, Burning Spear, Gregory Issacs, Sizzla and Parliment Funkadelic and the list continues. 

They have played at numerous venues and festivals, such as Destination Dix (sponsored by the City of Raleigh), B.B. King's Blues Club in New York City, Vermont Jerk Festival, the Red Hat Ampitheater The Lincoln Theater, The Cat's Cradle, Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival, The Brewgaloo Music Festival, RALAK and many  private parties, weddings, colleges and universities from Virginia to South Carolina.  

Crucial Fiya has also participated in chartiable events such as the Harambee Community Festival and the AT&T sponsored Hope for Haiti.

North Carolina’s Sarah Shook sings with a conviction and hard honesty sorely lacking in much of today’s Americana landscape. Always passionate, at times profane, Sarah stalks/walks the line between vulnerable and menacing, her voice strong and uneasy, country classic but with contemporary, earthy tension. You can hear in her voice what’s she’s seen; world weary, lessons learned—or not—but always defiant. She level-steady means what she says. Writing with a blunt urgency—so refreshing these days it's almost startling—Sarah's lyrics are in turn smart, funny, mean, and above all, uncompromising. The Disarmers hit all the sweet spots from Nashville’s Lower Broad to Bakersfield and take Sarah's unflinching tales out for some late-night kicks. At times, it’s as simple and muscular as Luther Perkins’ boom-chicka-boom, or as downtown as Johnny Thunders. The Disarmers keep in the pocket, tight and tough.

Growing up in the small town of Benson, North Carolina, Rebekah Todd has been surrounded by music for as long as she can remember. At 11 years old, Rebekah’s father, a musician himself, gave her a black acoustic Washburn guitar and taught her to play. Flooding the house with sounds of classic rock and folk, her father played everything from Pink Floyd to the Righteous Brothers, leading Rebekah to instantly find her musical niche somewhere between melodic soul and alternative folk rock. Growing into her soulful voice and and musical style, the singer-songwriter started to pull inspiration from a wide range of musical genres, citing passionate singer/songwriters like Lauryn Hill and Susan Tedeschi as her inspiration and shaping the music she writes and performs today. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from East Carolina University in 2012, Rebekah has been devoting her life to writing and touring. Currently based in Murphy, North Carolina, Rebekah is a gifted performer with a natural, soulful, and effortless voice and two releases under her belt, releasing her debut EP, Forget Me Not, in 2011, first LP, Roots Bury Deep, in 2014 and most recent full length, 'Crooked Lines' in February, 2017.  Todd has received countless awards and recognition including 2013 Carolina Music Awards “Best Female Musician”, 2016 winner of Floyd Fest “On The Rise” Competition, 2017 Wilma Magazine’s Woman to Watch, 2018 Encore Magazine’s “Best Female Musician” and much more.

Todd is currently writing a new album set to be released and toured with her full band, Rebekah Todd & The Odyssey in 2021

Following praise from Paste and No Depression for the release of their first, eponymous LP in 2017, Blue Cactus did what stellar country acts do: they toured a lot. Along the way, the North Carolina duo graced festival stages from Nashville’s Muddy Roots and Raleigh’s Hopscotch to NC’s own annual State Fair, and shared dates with the likes of The War & Treaty, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Lilly Hiatt, and Junior Brown among others-- building a fanbase that cherishes their singular, but familiarly rewarding take on classic country. 

Somewhere in the milieu of that tried and true path, however, Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez found themselves exploring less-traveled terrain. Their sound grew taller and wider - their guitars began reaching for the stars, and, with the aid of their vibrant band, they unlocked deep, contagious grooves on stage. Alongside this sonic evolution, their songwriting took on a keener, more incisive form. Where they used to rely heavily on transient charm and wit, they began confronting heavy concepts head-on and put pen to paper with newfound confidence. “Throughout the course of touring and playing these songs live with our band, they came to life, and we knew we had found the people who needed to make this record with us,” recalls Stewart.

After a string of singles in 2020 (with the Trump takedown "Finger On The Button" spending months at the top of Spotify's Vintage Vibes playlist) their evolution is made plain on their second LP, Stranger Again released May 7, 2021 on Sleepy Cat Records.​

In Stewart and Arnez’s own words, the record is a dive into the realm of Cosmic American Music, and songs like “Radioman” certainly send the listener to what feels like astral heights. "Radioman / right on time / Radioman / leave the world behind," Stewart and Arnez sing in a bold harmony, honoring the connective power of the radio while simultaneously delivering its eulogy in the modern age of digital streaming. On some of the records’ mellower moments, such as the spaciously produced duet “I Can’t Touch You,'' a dim sense of vastness is palpable.

Even as the album lifts itself up and out of the atmosphere, Stewart and Arnez’s voices keep things grounded and relatable. The record finds them mincing no words when singing about the all-too-Earth-bound complexities of relationships, manipulation, sacrifice, estrangement, and jealousy. Songs like “Stranger Again” and “Come Clean'' remind the listener that you can only float around in vacuous bliss for so long before life’s gravity reels you in and forces you to confront the truth.

A theme of relationships and their perpetual states of change runs throughout the album. “Relationships shape who we are. We long to connect with others, and the relationships we have with each other, with ourselves, with culture...they all inform the ways we move through the world,” says Arnez. “The loss of a relationship (‘Blue As The Day’), the longing for a relationship that was an integral piece of our lives (‘Worried Man’), those negative spaces can keep us from getting close to others even when we know we would be happier for it (‘I Can’t Touch You.’) These songs are about when we have to work on ourselves (‘Come Clean’, ‘Enough’), when we have to work on our relationships (‘Stranger Again’), when it feels like that work is paying off (‘Rebel’), when we strive for the world to care (‘Rodeo Queen’), and when we long for the world to commune (‘Radioman.’)”

30 years ago, a group of students at UNC and Wake Forest formed Dillon Fence. Their 1989 self-titled debut EP and a subsequent early '90s album releases on Mammoth and Atlantic Records heralded Chapel Hill, NC as a new music mecca. They played thousands of gigs together in their initial 9 year run, touring the United States, Canada and Europe. The band reunites for a few shows every year. For many, Dillon Fence music is a big part of the soundtrack to their lives.

Arson Daily. It’s the product of over 4 years of basements, bars, van transit, and general disillusionment.

The latter being most apparent, long-time roommates Zach Dunham (guitar/vocals), Adam McLean (drums), and Quincy Platt (bass) have succeeded in conquering adolescence and are actively seeking out maturity. Raleigh-based Arson Daily has made the conscious effort to grow beyond their traditionally raw, garage-rock predispositions by experimenting with new methods of songwriting. Leaving the electric instruments in their noisy home studio, most of Arson Daily’s newest album, Late Reflections, has been written in every room of their house on acoustic instruments. After intimately crafting the soul of each song, they would bring it in to their studio to guide it, one small layer at a time, into their eclectic vision featuring sonic qualities comparable to surf-western, Nashville garage rock, and indie radio trash.

Late Reflections, released April 3rd, 2020, was recorded and produced with Mo Lowda and the Humble in Philadelphia. Late Reflections drives listeners through the satisfaction of accomplishment while wrestling with the hesitance and nostalgia that inherently accompanies change. Late Reflections has everything to do with accepting individuality, its inherent susceptibility to rejection, and the unabashed courage to do it anyway. 

Such themes will harbor interest to those who’ve known Arson Daily since their 2014 inception, reminiscent of noise complaints and soon-to-be-failed hearing tests in the Boone, NC basement scene. Having since graduated and relocated to Raleigh, NC, hungover with adulthood, Daily has ditched the booze enameled college boys vibe and taken a leap forward with the vulnerability of their content. 

The last three years have seen the boys consistently booking venues and performing alongside names such as Band of Horses, Shakey Graves, Illiterate Light, and Briston Maroney.

Anyone who’s seen this group knows that a vestibule-pounding live performance is the core of their music. Arson Daily’s essence has always been best communicated through the translucent shadows kiltering through the night during their concerts. There’s something lost through the conversion of all music into a digital medium. It’s Arson Daily’s nature to reclaim that intangible quality within every audience.

by Landon Whitley