by rudyards | March 17th, 2013
Giving Tree Band (Yorkville, IL)
https://www.thegivingtreeband.com/
Led by enigmatic brothers Todd and “E” Fink, The Giving Tree Band are making their way to the head of a classy class of young American songwriters and performers. The Finks extended their brotherhood to all 7 members and started out with only a collective heart as big as the ocean. They now wield a wide array of instruments from acoustic and electric guitars, slide guitars and banjos to violin, mandolin and pedal steel . A band’s band, they all live together, travel together and do everything as one family, harmonizing their voices and lives on and off stage. The Giving Tree Band is not reinventing but simply reuniting rock and roll. With their down-home style, they emphasize the virtue in their fierce virtuosity - approaching each note with integrity, each part with humility, each song with honesty and each show with gratitude. The most common word among reviews is “undeniable” in regards to the chemistry on stage, the energy in the room, and the feeling that something special is happening. With a rare combination of stirring musicianship and exemplary songwriting, the GTB wheel is in full spin and, like their heroes before them, it’s also on fire.
“Their own folk sound…new and refreshing” (Paste Magazine)
“The folksy bliss is the sound of a group playing as one” (Relix Magazine)
“Joyous and unrestrained…The Giving Tree Band is the real deal” (The Huffington Post)
“Doing everything that one can not to lose sight of the bigger picture” (Daytrotter.com)
“Levon Helm’s surely smiling down from heaven” (Illinois Entertainer)
“A neo-retro take on The Band or the American answer to Mumford & Sons” (Metromix)
“Amassing fans and praise from all the right places” (MP3.com)
“On the path to roots rock stardom…embracing the down home, country vibe” (Music Savage)
“Meticulously crafted yet loose-feeling instrumentation and a distinctive sound” (Performer Magazine)
“Artists who live their values…the music and energy are fantastic” (Washington Examiner)
“The Giving Tree Band gives their audiences their all” (Cincinnati CityBeat)
“Well-crafted songs and masterful musicianship” (Seattlest)
“Dynamic sound and stage presence” (Real Detroit Weekly)
“One word. Okay maybe two. Blown. Away.” (Waco Examiner)
“The band that just keeps on giving” (Philly Metro)
“Drenched in charming authenticity” (Indianapolis Nuvo)
“GTB appeals to a broader range of music lovers” (The Onion A.V. Club)
“Everly Brothers quality harmonies” (The Alternate Root Magazine)
“Powerful live shows and unmistakable banjo sound” (WXRT Chicago)
“Stage presence as natural as the wood which their instruments are carved” (Jambands.com)
Desert Noises (Provo, UT)
https://www.desertnoisesmusic.com/
Desert Noises is Kyle Henderson, Tyler Osmond, Patrick Boyer, and Brennan Allen, four adventurers from Utah Valley, UT. Ask about their recent musical influences, and you’ll extract a litany on the riches of Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, and Tame Impala. If it seems an unlikely trio of choices, it simply means that you haven’t yet become acquainted with their propulsive, jangle-rich breed of rock ‘n roll. Desert Noises make music for shouting into canyons, jumping into rivers, and getting married to the wide-open road. With a strong maturity in their songwriting, they conjure the majesty of the American pastoral landscape.
While one can pick out definite strains of blues and Americana, their often-ferocious delivery and penchant for shredding guitars elicits a powerful transcendence into psychedelic rock. This is felt most strongly in their live performances, where they harness their visceral energy in new ways each night.
Desert Noises work with an emotional palette that is sophisticated beyond their years, as front-man Kyle Henderson translates melancholy, longing, and regret into lyrical fables like a seasoned troubadour. He seems to be howling into the vastness with all of his might, romancing his hopelessness and taking comfort in open spaces.
These four young men are enchanting hearts across the country, having shared the stage with such notable contemporaries as The Head and The Heart, Local Natives, The Morning Benders, Blitzen Trapper, Miniature Tigers, and Pepper Rabbit. With their gaze set enthusiastically into the future and a new album on the way, the chronicle of Desert Noises is just beginning to unfold.
Hollis Brown (Queens, New York)
https://hollisbrown.com/
With a distinct sound uniting hook-soaked pop and blues-drenched rock-n-roll, Hollis Brown is a throwback to an era when music felt fresh, songwriting was revered, and performances routinely inspired. Possessing a seemingly endless supply of infectious melodies and a live show that has attracted a devoted following, Hollis Brown has distinguished itself as essential in the crowded musical landscape of New York City.
In early 2008, the band became the flagship signing for the burgeoning independent label Vibe Theory Music and quickly got to work on their debut, full-length album. Hollis Brown was fortunate enough to team with music producer Jamie Sigel on the project, known for his work behind the boards with Lauryn Hill on her Grammy-winning LP. What resulted is a diverse and exciting collection of well-crafted rock songs with pop sensibility. From radio-friendly hits like lead singles/music videos “Passin’ Me By” and “Show Love” to southern-tinged grooves such as “Carolina, Carolina” and “Til the Morning”, the album features quality songwriting and crisp performances throughout. With the retail release date set for September 2009, the buzz around this band and its debut record is starting to turn heads. This, coupled with the group’s impressive streak of packed performances throughout New York has served as the catalyst for the growing hype surrounding the band.
The magnitude of Hollis Brown’s vast potential is evidenced by the exhaustive list of accomplishments the band has compiled in such a short time. A finalist in the global Emergenza Music Festival that culminated with a sold out show at Webster Hall, Hollis Brown was recently selected by Universal/Motown Records as a feature act in its “NYC Rocks” artist showcase. Past performance highlights include participation in the annual CMJ Music Marathon, a feature slot at the 2008 Ingenuity Music and Arts festival in downtown Cleveland, and a late night television appearance on nationally syndicated talk show “The Edge with Jake”. Hollis Brown also recently had a song featured on the MTV reality show “College Life”. The band has sold out shows at esteemed venues such as the Knitting Factory, Sullivan Hall, and CBGB’s as well as appeared on the soundtrack for the film “Soldiers in the Shadows”.
21+
Advance Tickets $10.00
Tickets at the Door: $12.00
Tickets available at https://www.pegstar.net/
