STEEP CANYON RANGERS                         www.steepcanyon.com

Western North Carolina's hottest young bluegrass band the Steep Canyon Rangers are selling out shows from the mountains to the coast of North Carolina. They appear regularly at a variety of venues throughout the Southeast and as far away as Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona. They have performed with nationally known acts such as Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Jimmy Martin, Peter Rowan, Norman Blake, and Ronda Vincent and the Rage.  September 2002 saw the band reap rewards at the NC Mountain State Fair by placing first in the band competition and each member won first place for his individual instrument.

COUNT CLOVIS                                                                 www.countclovis.com

GREASY BEANS                                     www.greasybeans.com

The Greasy Beans make it clear they love and understand traditional bluegrass. After nearly a decade together, the quintet understands the crucial difference between drive and playing fast. They present one good original song, based in traditional bluegrass, after another. This band offers a sound unique in bluegrass music today. Best of all, Greasy Beans has the taste all too rare in today’s outfits. They focus on the melody and the palpable rhythm, not hot licks. They take basic, enjoyable breaks that add to the song rather than distracting attention. You can’t beat a new sound that feels old.

LAURA BLACKLEY BAND                           www.laurablackleyband.com

Hailing from Warsaw, Va., Laura Blackley has seen time in the spotlight at some the southeast's premier music venues.  She now calls Asheville, NC her home.  Within each song she incorporates old-time acoustic blues, classic country, and down-and-dirty, soulful rock and roll.  Her style has been penned as "elegantly aggressive," and "diverse," with her aim being "to create songs that relate to the average listener...songs about love, lust and trains and losers and dreamers..."  Laura "projects a casual and unassuming stage presence.  Then, comes that soulful voice...which has people off their chairs and on their feet." Laura is backed by a powerful trio of co-founder, Julie Couch on drums, Tony Harp on bass and talented multi-instrumentalist Mars Farris.

BALLET WARRABA                                 www.balletwarraba.org

Ballet Warraba is an American and Guinean African Dance Company bringing traditional music and dance to America in an effort to promote cross-cultural understanding, breakdown cultural stereotypes, and change people's lives! By performing "ballets", Ballet Warraba offers something for everyone as it combines African music, dance, song, folklore, costumes, choreography, and a variety of drums and melodic instruments to tell narratives that apply to today's world.

WISE APPLE                                         www.wiseappletree.com

Wiseapple is an acoustic string band from Boone, North Carolina proudly continuing in the bluegrass tradition of Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs. The band plays a mix of standard classics and original compositions featuring tight vocal harmonies and impressive musicianship. Formed in 1999, the group consists of Jon Hill on mandolin and vocals, Tim Marsh on guitar and vocals, Ben McPherron on bass fiddle, and Brian Swenk on banjo.  In addition to bluegrass, the group enjoys arranging numbers by jazz greats such as Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins as well as playing songs by important songwriters like Bob Dylan and Neil Young.  No matter what style of music they choose to play, the group takes care to create fresh arrangements that have an original sound bearing their distinctive signature.

At the beginning of 2003, the members of Wiseapple made the decision to focus on their songwriting skills and develop more original material. Drawing on their wide range of influences, each member has contributed songs reflecting many styles.  The result is an eclectic blend of traditional and modern sounds that create a truly exciting listening experience.

“WiseApple has been turning heads with its infectious bluegrass music. The boys of WiseApple deftly balance traditional bluegrass with its more modern cousins”  -Jeff Eason, Mountain Times Entertainment Editor

“The band plays a sweet mixture of classical old bluegrass tunes a la Bill Monroe, some newer pop tunes delivered in a bluegrass style, and some great originals.” -Jordan Green, Mountain Times

For Booking information contact:   WiseApple 828 268-0926 or wiseapple1947@hotmail.com

E.R.M.

The Electronic Rap Machine is a musical gadget first introduced in the early 1980s, when it was distributed in select continental markets via the now-defunct "double-wide" vending machines.  It is currently sought after highly in Japan, where examples sell at auction for upwards of $85,000 U.S. The machine consists of four pads of varying colors (red, yellow, green, violet) which correspond to four instrument banks (keyboard, bass, drums, and voice). While it seems simple enough, when played by a virtuoso or inspired child, the machine yields an "Orgy of Styles"TM that ranges from the visceral dissonant to the smoky smooth.
 
Skeptics beware! The Electronic Rap Machine sets out to overturn any pre-conceived notions you may have of the words "Electronic" and "Rap."  Though it was intended as a mere amusement, it is now the fully realized machine its name implies, churning and grinding though sound like a thing possessed.  Witness the phenomenon live, before the Japanese buy the last remaining specimen!  Witness the Machine!