Other Bands

Since their start in 2007, Yarn’s original Americana sound has developed into music that seekers of the unique see as the soundtrack to their lives. Yarn’s first four albums were recognized by the AMA’s and R&R radio charts, spending time in the top 5 at their highest point. Yarn has become one of the hardest-working and harder-touring bands for this generation’s digital natives and new music folllowers.

2012 brings this grammy-nominated roots band into the music revolution, inspired by today’s music devotee’s hunger for artists to believe in and follow, they are giving it to the fans everyday in everyway possible. Yarn’s devotion to their fans is realized in online and social sharing of their music, whether it’s daily video posts, premiering fresh songs on local radio, or performing live in small town venues across the country. They are bringing songs to American music lovers, and the music lovers are responding.

In 2007, Yarn’s self-titled debut album peaked at No. 14 on the AMA and R&R Radio Charts, and ranked No. 79 on the AMA’s Top 100 Albums of that year. In 2008, the band’s second record, Empty Pockets, spent months in the top 5 on the AMA chart and garnered them eight, first round 2009 Grammy nominations. Yarn’s 2008 released album, Come On In, reached #25 on the top 100 Americana chart of 2010.

Christiana beams, “I like to think America is in the midst of a musical revolution, revolting against the candycoated, over-produced [stuff] being spoon-fed into our earholes. Revolt, America, and we’ll see you at our shows.” Yarn is definitely a band that earns musical converts with their live performances. Check out their upcoming tour dates in support of their latest album along with CD release parties happening across the country. In addition to performing at SXSW in March, they will be featured alongside Allison Krauss and Union Station at California’s Strawberry Music Festival.

“They are playing good music and living the American dream. We think Yarn is going to make it big” - Erin Burnett, CNN, Erin Burnett Out Front

Raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Graham Whorley packed up his guitar, his dog, Leeroy, and a trash bag full of clothes 15 years ago to make his way onto Folly Beach, SC and into the Charleston music scene. Since then, Graham Whorley has quickly become a household name, drawing comparisons to Keller Williams, Warren Haynes, and Tim Reynolds for his tireless, family-man work ethic, jaw-dropping finger stylings on the guitar and genial Southern charm.

Whether performing solo, or with his three-piece band, The Graham Whorley Band (Will Ames on bass, Karl Anderson on drums,) Graham Whorley is constantly finding new ways to deliver world music that defies categorization under the blanket of rock, jazz, classical, and funk guitar built on seamless layers of harmonies and driven tribal beats. All of it, created live on stage. “A master with a loop pedal, he's able to blend percussive acoustic rhythms with building, exploratory leads, creating a fusion that's difficult to sit still to,” says Stratton Lawrence of The Charleston City Paper.

Graham’s insightful and thought provoking songwriting touches on universal themes of life, love, and those hard-knock lessons learned along the way, something we all can relate to. Equally comfortable unplugged as with his array of pedals, beat machines, and sound effects, “Whorley creates an impressive range of string, percussion, and vocal affects. At his most ambitious, his layering guitar and vocal parts sound like a full trio at work,” says music editor, T. Ballard Lesemann of The Charleston City Paper. Whorley seems to effortlessly connect with his listeners and leaves a deep and lasting impression, leaving fans waiting for more. “Wherever he goes, he has a following,” says The Georgetown Times.

With the December 2011 release of his sixth independently produced album, “Permission to Think,” and a new 30-minute documentary of the same name, produced by MPA Productions, now streaming on YouTube, Graham Whorley is poised to make an indelible mark on the national scene. The new 14-track album challenges us to consider ways that break down walls, perceptions, and illusions that stop us from reaching our true potential. Throughout, Whorley speaks from experience. “It’s the best stuff I have ever done,” says the songwriter, who took on the daunting task of composing all of the music, writing all the lyrics and playing all of the instruments on the new 14-track release while his band underwent a transformation due to scheduling conflicts with the former GWB members. Whorley spent the last two years crafting the album with engineer Roger Reynolds who recently followed Graham down to Charleston from the foothills of Virginia.

The Graham Whorley Band is currently gathering their gear and is primed for their 2012, “Permission to Think” tour to promote Whorley’s new album throughout the Southeast with scheduled tour dates in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Graham Whorley and his band have shared the stage over the last several years with Tim Reynolds, Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Lee Oskar of WAR, Members of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Colonel Bruce Hampton, Brock Butler, Delbert McClinton, and most recently Whorley opened and closed the evening for Keller Williams at The Charleston Pour House. 

Five years of hard work, prolific song writing, dedicated practice and self-promotion have created the foundation on which they stand. Nine hundred shows worth of performance experience has built Ten Toes Up; nine hundred shows of original rock & roll gives them an exclusively distinctive sound repeatedly described as "huge"…with some comparison as a distant nephew to the Allman's. Three studio recordings happily reside in thousands of ipods, cd players and car stereos up and down the east coast. Ninety-seven thousand miles have been logged bringing this music to the people.

Highlighted by screaming lap-steel guitar, harmonica and infectious drum solos; these four musicians play various instruments throughout the compelling energy exchange where the audience is irresistibly drawn into the performance. An eclectic fusion has generated a depth and layering of sound that has emerged as real rock & roll with "born & raised in the south" underpinnings, a little jazz, latin, funk and uncivilized passion. The Charleston City Paper's T. Ballard Lesseman writes "They snap with almost as much stout-hearted blue-eyed soul as anything the Faces, The Band or indeed the Allman's- ever attempted 30 years ago"

Ten Toes Up is a formidable wave comprised of singer/songwriter William Craven's vocals/guitar/weissenborn/slide whose voice and playing lend a presence reminiscent of the allure of a rock star to the common man; accessible yet elusive. Like an artist with a brush, William paints lyrical portraits on a backdrop of skillful phrasing with a clear succession of melodic, broodingly soulful sounds that captivate as well as seduce. We'll make sure to hold his future spot on the list of great slide guitar players too. Bassist/vocals Charles Freeman adds a masterful approach to visceral bass lines, developing a sound other musicians pay attention to. Listen closely and you will hear Charles and his bass having a sub-conversation within a song. Also a singer, Charles brings it with an undeniably edgy rock vocal laced with a shot of Tennessee's finest. With an irresistible beat, percussionist/harmonica/vocalist Joshua Gregory attacks with adrenaline-infused energy; rousing the audience like a musical preacher. The conguero behind the art plays his colliding beats, forming a creative tension which not only demands your attention, but commands it. His harp skills can best be conveyed as an alliance between wistful, sweet grace and primal passion. Drummer Adam Miller drives the underlying pulse of the band keeping the colorful rhythms in perfect sync with a complex intelligence of class& style. Using his sticks, he adds surprise intuitive touches while mirroring guitar and bass riffs. Fluid and agile, Adam keeps it rocking.

Ten Toes Up just swept entertainment magazine The Surge's 2011 reader's choice awards winning best band, best lead singer, best drummer, best bass player, best song writer, best guitar player and best original band in Myrtle Beach. They have been featured both on the cover of The Surge and Coastal Business Life. They have received numerous other press appearing in various media outlets. The band is also endorsed by Haywire Custom Guitars, Hercules Stands, Clayton USA picks, Mental Case Road Cases, and Axekisser Guitar Cables. Recently they've rocked-out on ABC’s “LowCountry Live” on Fox’s “Not The News” and Time Warner Cable's "Live at the Jam Room". Three of their songs are played in daily rotation on a local TV station. They've headlined at The House of Blues and their wide appeal has given them opportunities to share the stage with Uncle Kracker, The Wailers, JJ Grey and Mofro, the hip- hop star Twista, The North Mississippi Allstars, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, The Bod-eans, and Cowboy Mouth.

"Sleeping Lion," the 2011 release, was produced by the legendary Danielle Howle. WYAV Radio DJ Scott Mann says "Sleeping Lion" is exactly what a great rock album should be. It's diverse, it sounds great loud, and the songs are played with skill. "Sleeping Lion" is now being heard on radio stations from rock formats to Americana with even a few country stations in between. "Carolina Mess," the first single, has spun off into a successful women's clothing line of the same name…

Ted Bowne - Vocals and Guitar

Will Kubley - Bass

Nick Kubley - Drums

Mike DeGuzman - Keyoards

Passafire was formed in 2003 by students attending Savannah College of Art and Design. Throughout the years they have become a perpetually touring band playing hundreds of shows a year with bands like 311, Pepper, Rebelution, Matisyahu, Michael Franti, The Wailers and many more. Bowne doesn't mind the grueling schedule and adds, "Touring is the best way to keep the buzz about the band going. What keeps it fun and exciting is the people we meet and places we get to see. We are in a new city every day so there's always something to go see or do. If we didn't tour constantly, we wouldn't be doing as well as we are. That's a fact."

 

The Funky Seeds were planted in June of 2009 in the Burgs of St. Pete.  The Funky Seeds blend several genres into what is now called “Plant Driven Funk”.  “With rollicking guitars and keyboards, the group lives up to its name, in that they're incredibly funky and boogieable!” –Sean Daly, Tampa Bay Times.  

 

The Seeds have been busy in the studio.  They have recently released their second studio length album ‘Taking Root’.  The Funky Seeds released their first album ‘Germination’ in 2010 featuring the hit singles ‘Pressure’ and ‘Shrink’.  ‘Pressure’ and ‘Shrink both made it to the #1 spot on the Tampa Bay music charts and ‘Pressure’ was also one of the TOP TEN songs of 2010 on musictampabay.com.  Since the release of their first album, the Funky Seeds have been featured on WMNF 88.5, Rukus Radio, Indie 104 iRadio L.A., Indie Life Radio, New Music Tampa Bay, musictampabay.com, and The Bay Buzz.  

 

The Funky Seeds have also played several festivals including SUNFEST, Orange Blossom Jamboree, Jambando, Farm to Family and Bay Buzz Fest.  The Funky Seeds have big plans for the future and look forward to seeing you at the next show!!

JAKE CLAYTON is a 25 year old multi-instrumentalist based in Nashville, TN. Although considering fiddle to be his primary instrument, Jake also plays guitar, dobro, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, pedal steel, piano, bass, and more. In total, Jake plays 27 different instruments which also includes a list of orchestral instruments such as the viola, cello, and stand-up bass.

Jake Clayton has been steadily building a name for himself on the Country Music circuit over the past 8 years playing as a ‘utility musician’ for various recording artists. Currently touring as the utility player for Country Music artist Sunny Sweeney (an opening act on the 2011 Brad Paisley H2O II tour), Jake also spent the majority of 2009 on Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night Tour" as the utility player for opening act Jimmy Wayne. Having already performed with Country Music stars at legendary venues such as Madison Square Garden & Nashville's 'The Grand Ole Opry', Jake has appeared in two Top20 Country Music videos and several shows on CMT, GAC, and various other national and regional broadcasts in the US. Jake has toured with Country Music legend, Tanya Tucker, and has also had the high honor of playing music with Taoist monks in their monastery at Mt. Laoshan, China along with an appearance on national television in Qingdao & Jinan, China. Jake Clayton's playing and reputation has garnered him endorsements from top companies such as Black Diamond and Supersensitive Strings, Kawai Pianos, Michael Kelly Mandolins, Fishman Transducers, L.R. Baggs Pickups, and more.

Jake Clayton has now officially entered the music scene as a recording artist with the release of ‘Barnyard Stomp’, a genre-bending collection of 12 instrumental songs that combine influences from Country, Bluegrass, Rock, and beyond! ‘Barnyard Stomp’ not only showcases Jake’s knack for merging traditional styles with modern sounds, but it also spotlights Jake’s unique abilities on multiple instruments. On this album, Jake played everything except drums and 2 guest guitar tracks!

"I think this album will be a reflection of how I see the music world, one big melting pot of sound!" –Jake Clayton

 

Matt Walton - Guitar & Vocals
Ben White - Keys & Vocals
David Ashby - Bass & Vocals
Geoff Bakel - Drums & Electronics

 

Targeting to influence and inspire the human spirit with dynamic groove-based compositions, their music has been described through a multitude of genres including Rock, Funk, World-Beat, Live Electronics, and NuJazz. Within this varied genre approach, the music combines tightly composed and adventurous passages with in-the-moment improvisation. Despite the genre bending output, FC does indeed have a sound that is instantly identifiable and unique to themselves. But, there ability to transform and shape this sound to fit the surroundings and setting of each venue is what sets them apart.

 

 

 

This seven piece ensemble, delicately blends instrumentation from across the globe in a uniquely American context. The uncommon use of the hammered dulcimer, melodically leads many of the group’s pieces, followed by the resonance of various acoustic instruments and a brooding foundation of heavy percussion. Layers of orchestral strings and sparse vocals create a cinematic appeal to the otherwise raw expression of musical compositions.

The music created by this five piece band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is progressively diverse, often switching between many different genres during the course of a show. Sometimes even throughout the duration of a song. Their live shows have become an avenue for the band to build upon the core of their songs, exploring new ground, creating tension and taking risks for those moments of pure improvisational ecstasy, giving fans an original experience within every show.

Brain Samuels- Bass Guitar and Vocals
Casey Butts - Alt. Percussion
Dave Sanders - Keyboards and Vocals
Joe Phillion -  Drums
Russell Olmsted - Guitar and Vocals

Since exploding on to the scene in 2010, The Manhattan Project has become one of the fastest growing live electronic duos in the north east. Selling out shows regionally, and with bands like Lotus, Conspirator and BioDiesel, they've gained national attention as a band on the rise. Drawing influences from house, dub, drum n bass, techno and lounge, The Manhattan Project brings sophistication to the dance floor with their original compositions, high energy beats and mind melting textures. Armed with an arsenal of keyboards, synths, electronic and acoustic percussion, they seamlessly merge analogue and digital sounds to create a sonic boomtronic style all their own. Live visuals by NGB and epic light shows bring the concert experience to a new level, and have earned them the reputation of a must-see live band.

In just a short time, the duo has toured all over the north east, playing consistently to large crowds at dance clubs, live music venues and late night festival slots, collaborated with top regional DJ's and MC's, performed live sets on top alternative radio stations and have gained loyal fans through word of mouth and high energy live shows.

Their new EP 'Atomic Bomb Party Vol. 2' was just released in April for free download to great reviews and is embraced by DJ and live music fans alike! The Manhattan Project features Shawn Drogan on drums and electronics, and Charlie Lindner on keyboards and synths.