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PLUS: Under the Radar Series!!
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American Aquarium
Hailing from Raleigh, NC, American Aquarium’s southern musical perspective is a blend of honest songwriting, an unwavering work ethic, and a genuine love of rock & roll. Whether you call it alt-country, Americana, or roots rock, one thing is for certain: Their music is a fresh voice that borrows from many forms of the American songbook.
The Atkinsons
The Atkinsons are a rockin' Americana band from Richmond, VA. Rooted in rock, touched by country, and rich in harmonies, The Atkinsons merge their signature sound with bittersweet tales of woe and heartbreak. Their originals are written with a hardcore honesty that chronicles America's lost and lonely souls and their life struggles and turmoil.
Big Daddy Love
Big Daddy Love brings a natural blend of jam, grass, roots and rock to the music scene. With fiery vocals, sweet-sugary harmonies, authentic song-craft, and undeniable musicianship, the quintet delivers high-energy performances comprised of their own brand of good-time music. Genuine and intensely personal lyrics captivate and connect.
Diane Durrett Band
With a blend of raw soulful vocals, sultry tones and strong original songs Durrett has sung with or opened for Sting, Tina Turner, Delbert McClinton, The Indigo Girls, Faith Hill, Patty Loveless, Gregg Allman and Derek Trucks.
Do It to Julia
Do it to Julia is a five-piece folk-rock band formed in Boone, NC. With crisp male and female vocal harmonies and lyrics that range from narrative storytelling to ironic social and political statements, the band has become known throughout the south east for a sound that moves from melodic pop to experimental ambiance.
Doco
Based in Raleigh, NC, Doco blends a variety of genres including rock, reggae, hip hop, and funk. The result is fresh. The songs emit a tight, head bobbing groove, and are laced with witty lyrics and catchy riffs. The live show is energized, raw, and always a party.
Dot Line Projekt
The Dot Line Projekt sound is a unique blend of Psychedelic Power Grooves, Rock'n Roll, and Improv Jams with Intention. The original music is defined by their cutting edge sound and insightful clever lyrics with carefully adapted covers rounding out the collection.
Electric Codpiece Vibrant, high energy, eclectic performances remind audiences not to take life too seriously - and to always dance and embrace the freedom of music. Electric Codpiece's music explores rock, reggae, psychedelic, and improv jams with a southern sensibility uniquely their own. Full throttle and wide open from start to finish this band always brings the show.
Farm Vegas Farm Vegas is from the music-rich riverbeds of Richmond Virginia. This band conveys a raw energy from the core, with a reputation based on an electrifying stage show.
Funkuponya
These four men have gotten together on a united cause - exploring funk for the good of the humankind. Funk has many forms, but what it all comes down to is does it make you groove. That is where we come in, ain't no cure once da funkuponya!
Galen Kipar Project This small-scale symphony from Asheville, NC is smart, daring, and unashamed to own up to its folk, blues, classical and jazz roots. With the care and meticulousness of a gourmet chef, the GKP cooks up melodies and arrangements that defy expectations. “In the words of Tina Fey, when I hear the sounds of this nearby world, "I want to go to there." David Gans, Host of “Greatful Dead Hour,” musician, writer. Oakland, CA. Keep an eye out for the brand new 2010 album!
The Honey Dewdrops
Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish are the Honey Dewdrops: a nationally touring and award winning husband and wife duet who perform fresh, original songs focusing on vocal harmonies and tight instrumentation.
Jason Spooner Trio
 Start with a prolific singer/songwriter (Jason Spooner) with heavy roots, folk & blues influences. Mix in a classicly-trained bassist (Adam Frederick) with foundations in jazz and a knack for pocket grooves. Lastly, shake things up with a rock-solid drummer (Reed Chambers) with deep-seeded roots in funk, soul & reggae and you’ve begun to scratch the surface of this unique, energetic band.
Jesse Chong Band
Jesse Chong hails from Virginia Beach, VA where he is a master of the game. His broad appeal has allowed him to open for a wide variety of artists, including Steely Dan, Leon Russell, Neville Brothers, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, the Wailers, Perpetual Groove, RAQ, and Norah Jones. His impeccable musicianship and excellent songwriting is received enthusiastically by all audiences.
Joe Pitts Band
Powerhouse and multi-talented guitarist Joe Pitts is pulling influences from yesterday into todayJoe is becoming known worldwide for his slide guitar work. He uses his slide work to create tone-filled licks that glide and soar over the music. Joe is also heavily inside the groove with really funky rhythmic improvisations.
Johnson's Crossroad Johnson's Crossroad is taking their love of the old time mountain music, bluegrass, and the Texas singer/songwriters of the 1970's and putting their own stamp on the ever widening and increasingly popular 'Americana' genre. The debut album "Blood in Black and White" is steeped in the traditional country themes of lost love, lost fortune, lost time, and overcoming hardships. Johnson's Crossroad have clearly found a unique voice.
Lefty Williams Band
Not just a great one-armed guitar player, a great guitar player! We fall for Williams’ powerful guitar licks and candid songs, often long before the origin of his nickname—he was born without a right hand—is clear. And by then, it’s just another dimension to his talent.
Lingo
Whether it is the mixture of the subtle acoustic guitar accompanied by the flair of the electric guitar, the unique vocals that capture your attention or the prominent bass and percussion that add their own signatures, it is clear that Lingo's music has tapped into something unique and special.
Mitch Barrett
 Winner of the 2009 Telluride Troubadour Competition, 'Appalachianfunkyrastafolksy-bluesman' Mitch Barrett is Kentucky’s most awarded singer songwriter. From channeling the inner voice of a truck-stop waitress, a mountain boy seeking spirituality or a socially and environmentally-charged activist, Mitch draws from his Appalachian heritage in celebrating the joys and the struggles of everyday life through his music.
The Mumbles
The Mumbles are a Brooklyn, NY-based three piece who blend singer-songwriter soul with avante and old time jazz. Asses will shake as life-affirming mantras are repeated. A tiny band with a mighty sound.
Nancy and Two Meteors
Nancy and Two Meteors has been playing together since 2005. They have been discribed as the music soup, crunk ska, and angst dance. The music is driven by punk rock guitar sounds pumped full of smooth bass lines, and wiped by hot beats, samples, rhymes and screams all while the keytar solos to keep you wanting to hear more. Come get Dancie wit Nancy
Possum Jenkins
Call it alt. country. Call it Southern rock. Call it Americana. Call it shake-yo-ass blues-fried boogie with flashes of raucous cow punk. Call it a honky tonk Chinese fire drill. Any one of those musical descriptors could hit the mark during a Possum Jenkins show and be dead on. Formed in 2004 in Boone, N.C., Possum Jenkins has shared stages with Shooter Jennings, Billy Joe Shaver, Tift Merritt, the North Mississippi All Stars & more.
Ralph Roddenbery Band
The Ralph Roddenbery Band is a dynamic blend of Americana, roots rock, and a twist of the blues. By combining four part harmonies with energizing riffs, captivating lyrics, remarkable stage presence and a driving rhythm section, RRB is able to connect with their audience in a way that makes them feel as if they are having a one on one conversation about life. Scott Mecredy of Stop, Drop and Roll will be joining the band.
Rootstone Jug Band
 Rootstone Jug Band is a group of versatile young musicians who conjure the ancient strains of American music with a fearless old school sensibility. They gather around one mic, backing rustic harmonies with guitars, banjos, fiddle, upright bass, washboard, jug, harmonica and more to make a glorious ruckus, in full harmony with the ghosts of 400 years of American Roots Music.
Shortwave Society Shortwave Society fuses elements from orchestral and electronic soundscapes to create a unique accompaniment to their off-kilter pop songs. Violin, cello, and a sea of vocals weave intricate tapestries while guitar and pianos pulse, and electronic bleeps and blips fill every nook and cranny of your subconscious.
Tennessee Boltsmokers
The Tennessee Boltsmokers (TNBS) hail from Memphis, TN with a mix of bluegrass, americana, blues and country. Over the course of 3 records they have toured coast to coast and the latest release "Vintage All American Dream" is available now. Don't miss these guys!
Town Mountain
Imagine the band that occupies the common ground between traditional bluegrass, outlaw country, and pure old time mountain music. A group that harnesses the frantic energy of the modern punk string band, yet still remains respectfully rooted in the tradition of Bill Monroe. Imagine a band with one foot proudly planted in the path of traditional bluegrass, and one foot stepping out into the unknown forefront of American string music. This is Town Mountain, one of the premiere young American bluegrass bands.
Travis Elliott
Travis Elliott has taken on songwriting subjects from love to spaceships, both badly in need of repair. He throws in unforgeable
melodic hooks that keep you singing long after his performance has ended. His first EP was hailed as "a modern rock epic." From weekly gigs in his hometown of Charlottesville, VA to national summer tours, Elliott is fast becoming an artist that deserves attention.
Uncle Mountain
 3 distinct songwriters with their own style, Uncle Mountain steer their tunes in different directions until they've reached a destination that they had never expected. The result is one that they are proud of, blending the organic soul of rock and folk with lively percussion, rich harmonies and colorful textures from all of their favorite music from around the globe.
The Wave
 The Wave is a young but seasoned rock group, a fresh hard-driving band out of Virginia’s cradle of original rock, the Charlottesville Matrix. Headed by lyrical sage and guitar wizard Willie DE and backed by the punching/counter-punching percussions of Avery Sandridge, the mercury mobile bass parts of Simon Evans, and the mellow side-winder sax work of Sky Young, The Wave blends basic blues with soar and dive sorties that keep the audience up and dancing—and their spirit-minds in motion too.
The Werks
 A rock, psytrance and funk band The Werks are a favorite of music-lovers all over the US and fans can’t seem to get enough. Formed in 2007, they have worked with many great acts such as EOTO, Perpetual Groove, Ekoostik Hookah, Railroad Earth, Lotus, Tea Leaf Green, Papadosio, The Macpodz, BoomBox, and Sam Bush. The Werks have an intrinsic style that explore genres such as rock, funk, electronica, soul, bluegrass, jazz, Afro-Cuban, Celtic, R&B and dance.
The Young Sinclairs
 Hailing from the Blue Ridge Valley settlement of Roanoke, located in SW Virginia, The Young Sinclairs are a highly accomplished and gifted conglomerate of enterprising young mavericks steeped in the traditions of tuneful entertainment. Armed with tube amps, 12 strings, and enough reverb to swath half of the continent in a pool of electronically amplified pop-art, this group of musical magicians pluck, bang, and wail their way across the highways in search of open minds and ears. As our loyal FloydFesters know, FloydFest goes on RAIN or SHINE.  |
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The Levon Helm Band
If there could be such a thing as royalty in the oh-so-democratic realm of Americana music, Levon Helm would certainly have a throne of his own. As drummer and frequent vocalist for The Band, his place in rock history is chiseled in granite. But Helm didn’t rest on his laurels after The Band’s demise. After fighting back from a nearly fatal bout of throat cancer, Helm released a solo album in 2007 - Dirt Farmer. It earned him a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album! www.levonhelm.com |
Old Crow Medicine ShowOld Crow Medicine Show (OCMS) have come full circle playing their own brand of American roots music with a rock and roll attitude. OCMS can attribute much of their success to their relentless touring schedule. Between headlining shows and countless festivals (Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, etc), the band is constantly on the road and thrives off of their fans and live shows. They have made a name for themselves as energetic performers with an unbridled spirit. www.crowmedicine.com |
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
"(Grace) comes across on stage as a woman possessed - Lucinda Williams fronting the Black Crowes, or Janis Joplin if she'd cut a few albums with The Band..." -The Daily Times (6/4/09)
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are like a modern-day version of Tina Turner stroking the microphone in a spangled mini-dress while fronting the Rolling Stones circa Sticky Fingers. http://www.gracepotter.com/ |
Galactic featuring Corey Henry of the Rebirth Brass Band
It’s shaping up to be a stellar year for celebrated New Orleans outfit GALACTIC. On February 9th the band released their groundbreaking new album YA-KA-MAY a visionary mix, intertwining New Orleans sounds from jazz to brass band to funk and far beyond. With this release, the five-man group comprised of drummer Stanton Moore, bassist Robert Mercurio, saxophonist/harmonica player Ben Ellman, keyboardist Richard Vogel, and guitarist Jeff Raines – reaffirms their status as the quintessential modern day New Orleans band and one of the funkiest outfits in the known universe. www.galacticfunk.com |
Railroad Earth
It is our distinct pleasure to have Railroad Earth join us again in 2010. Railroad Earth combines elements of bluegrass, rock and roll, jazz, celtic and more to create a unique, unclassifiable sound that we love. Their name stems from the Jack Kerouac short story "October in the Railroad Earth," and the band has a song by the same name. This roots and Americana-based jamband from Stillwater, New Jersey is known for its extensive live improvisation and lyrical songwriting with an acoustic base. www.railroadearth.com |
JJ Grey & Mofro
From gritty funk and juke joint romps to contemplative country soul and blistering rockers, Grey’s music is in a class by itself, at once contemporary and classic. Now, with his latest release, ORANGE BLOSSOMS, JJ Grey will bring his singular musical vision and hip-shaking, soulful live show to his ever-growing fan base, showing how his songs speak to people all over the world and how far-reaching his Southern roots can spread. www.mofro.net |
Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
From a pressure cooker of rhythm, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe brings forth the most delicious variety of grooves ever sampled by a listener’s feet. Led by Karl Denson, who over the past 15 years has collaborated with such luminaries as Lenny Kravitz and The Greyboy Allstars, the Tiny Universe creates a dynamic sound that defies categorization. The band members, Denson on vocals, tenor and alto sax and flute, guitarist Brian Jordan, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboard player David Veith, trumpet player Chris Littlefield and drummer John Staten, have earned a reputation as kings of the unstoppable all-night show. www.karldenson.com |
SouliveSoulive is a funk/jazz trio that is known for its solos and groovy, upbeat songs. Over the past 10 years, they have covered a lot of ground – musically and literally. Not many bands can say they’ve recorded with Chaka Khan, Dave Matthews, Talib Kweli and John Scofield. Nor can many bands open for The Rolling Stones on one tour
and have Stevie Wonder sit in with them on the next tour. Musically, there is not much the band hasn’t done. www.soulive.com
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Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba
Bassekou Kouyate is a virtuoso of the ngoni (West African lute), approximating the larger kora (West African harp) in sound but with a tougher, more percussive edge. The ngoni is one of Africa’s secrets still to be discovered. It is the key instrument for the griot culture. Kouyate's band, Ngoni Ba ("the big ngoni") is a quartet of ngoni players—treble, mid range and bass—augmented by Kouyate's wife, Ami Sacko, on lead vocals. www.myspace.com/bassekoukouyate
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Konono No 1
Konono N°1 was founded 25+ years ago by Mingiedi, a virtuoso of the likembé (a traditional instrument also called a "thumb piano", consisting of metal rods attached to a resonator). The band's lineup includes 3 likembés and a rhythm section which uses traditional and makeshift percussion (pans, pots and car parts), 3 singers, 3 dancers and a sound system featuring these famous megaphones.
www.concertedefforts.com/home/roster/konono-n1/
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Deer Tick
Deer Tick: A rock, country, blues, grunge, and cosmic experience
Deer Tick plays all sorts of music, heavily influenced by legend status songwriters and performers, like Tom Petty and Sammy Davis, Jr. They are a rock n roll band. Live shows sometimes get a bit haywire, but are surely memorable! http://deertickmusic.com/
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Tift Merritt
Tift Merritt is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and recording artist. Tift Merritt’s music defies categorization. Her uniquely satisfying stew of rock and roll, soul, folk and country has record stores scratching their heads and audiences dancing in the aisles and telling their friends. There’s food for thought there, too—Tift knew she wanted to be a writer before she knew she wanted to be a musician, and her lyrics are carefully and finely crafted. www.tiftmerritt.com
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The Low AnthemTheir mutual interests in Americana, baseball, and morally agnostic narrative necessitated the formation of The Low Anthem. The Low Anthem have recorded three full-length records, toured extensively with over 100 shows in 2007, won Best Album of 2008 from the Providence Phoenix, received national radio play, and have a devoted fanbase across the Northeast and beyond. " In 2009, the band performed at South by Southwest, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. www.thelowanthem.com
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Hackensaw Boys
You see them in the early hours of the morning walking hotel corridors, or boldly traversing rush hour streets. They are sincere, polite but talkative men with instrument cases. They admire the local scenery and appear unfed. After seven years of relentless touring throughout the US, Europe and the U.K., the Hackensaw Boys are being recognized as one of the most exciting groups on the diverse Americana music scene. Be sure to check out the Hackensaw Boys — the perfect anodyne for the aches and pains of modern life. hackensawboys.com |
CornmealCornmeal continues to forge a path all their own, pushing the boundaries of bluegrass, Americana and folk for a whole new generation of music lovers. Steeped in the tradition of musical acts such as Old and in the Way, John Hartford, and New Grass Revival, Cornmeal has proven to be an influential presence in the world of roots music. http://www.cornmealinthekitchen.com/
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Eric Krasno & Chapter 2Eric Krasno is a founding member of Soulive and hip-hop production team Fyre Dept. Chapter 2 is the next phase in the story of Eric and his longtime collaborator, drummer Adam Deitch, alongside vocalist and keyboardist Nigel Hall and bassist Louis Cato. http://www.royalfamilyrecords.com/chapter2
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Pimps of Joytime
The Pimps of Joytime are a multi-ethnic group that hits all the marks and crosses all the barriers, bridging the gap between underground funk, soul, pop, dance, afrobeat and latin, filling every song with soulful harmonies and uplifting vibes. Somehow, The PJT’s found a way to put a modern twist on a retro sound, creating dirty, ass-shakin’ grooves like no one else out there. www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime
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Mountain Heart
Mountain Heart deftly combines elements of rock, jamband, country, blues, jazz, and bluegrass into a high-energy sound that is at once fresh, accessible, and unmistakeable. Mountain Heart, or members of the band, have either won or been nominated for multiple Grammys, ACM, CMA, and IBMA Awards. http://www.mountainheart.com/
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Flam Chen
Flam Chen is a pyrotechnic theater troupe with a repertoire spanning over 12 years and 1,500 performances worldwide. Flam Chen has innovated a new form of extreme theater, utilizing aspects of circus, martial arts, dance, ritual, aerial acrobatics, stilt-walking, installation art and physical theater to create unique panoramas of spectacle and narrative unlike anything you have ever seen. www.flamchen.com
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The Budos Band
The Budos Band is the quintessence of Staten Island Soul. Their exciting new afro-influenced take on instrumental music has been captivating listeners from turntables as well as bandstands across the nation. Eleven pieces in all, their group consists of drums, bass, guitar, electric organ, two trumpets, baritone saxophone, and a percussion section employing bongos, congas, tambourine, guiro, clave, shekere and cowbell. Their music has been described as “compelling”, “unbridled”, “psychedelic”, “innovative”, and above all “soulful.” http://thebudos.com |
Joe Pug and the Hundred Mile Band
The day before his senior year as a playwright student at UNC, Joe Pug sat down for a cup of coffee and had the clearest thought of his life: I am profoundly unhappy here. He picked up the guitar again and in 2008, Pug released the Nation of Heat EP, which has established him as one of the most respected songwriters of his generation. He has since played shows with Steve Earle, Susan Tedeschi and Robert Randolph. www.joepugmusic.com
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Bearfoot
Bearfoot is an Alaska-based band creating its own brand of acoustic Americana. They combine their roots in bluegrass, folk, jazz, and old-time music with outstanding instrumental and vocal prowess. Their fresh sound features emotive songwriting and creative arrangements, with three female vocalists captivating and luring in the audience with their tight harmonies and expressive singing. www.bearfootband.com
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Rockridge Brothers
In 2002 four musicians got together in Stockholm, Sweden, to make a bluegrass soundtrack for a movie. Right away they felt the need to make something more out of this newly formed combo. Pooling their different musical experiences, ranging from country to punk, they found common ground in old time string music, feeding their own high-energy interpretations right back into that tradition. Tthe Rockridge Brothers have since been touring Europe & USA, bringing the very best of hillbilly style mountain music to everybody they meet. www.rockridgebrothers.com
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The Wiyos
Drawing from a vast spectrum of traditional American rural and urban roots music, the internationally acclaimed, Brooklyn-based quartet, the Wiyos, craft a startingly fresh yet strangely familiar sound. The New Yorker says "the group brings exuberance and intensity to these vintage styles, and its performances are layered with vaudevillian stage antics." www.thewiyos.com
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Solas
Solas has been loudly proclaimed as the most popular, influential, and exciting Celtic band to ever emerge from the US. Solas is virtually unique in the new territory it has opened up for Celtic music. The internationally acclaimed supergroup has not only captured the hearts and ears of Irish music fans, but fans all around the globe with their blend of Celtic traditional, folk and country melodies, bluesy sometimes jazz-inspired improvisations and global rhythms. Ten years and still going strong!! www.myspace.com/solasmyspacemusic
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Spiral
Kissed by stardust from the rings of Saturn, Vivian became Spiral and was thereby inspired to create a unique, mesmerizing style of hoop dance. Part whirling dervish, circus artist, modern dancer, yogi and acrobat, her life was forever transformed by a love for circles and an affinity for revolutionary motion. Her engaging performances have wowed audiences from the catwalk in Hong Kong to nightclubs in Vienna. Her skills include hoop manipulation, contact juggling, fire dance, aerial silks and lyra (aerial hoop). She performs and teaches all over the globe. FloydFest is thrilled to have the magic of Spiral with us again in 2010. Be sure to catch her dazzling performances throughout the event on and off stage and learn the art of hooping at one of her many workshops. http://spiralcircusarts.com/
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Rising Appalachia
Rising Appalachia is a genre-bending force of sound that uses both lyrical prowess and diverse artistic collaborations to defy cultural clichés and ignite a musical revolution. With the fusion of world folk music traditions and fierce original composition, they strive to put a spotlight on injustice while uniting people through harmony and community engagement. www.myspace.com/risingappalachia
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Dangermuffin
Sometimes a band sticks in your mind like good batter sticks to your ribs. A memorable name helps, and Dangermuffin is no pushover of a moniker. But it's the round-the-fire looseness, yet still polished groove, that leaves the Charleston-based trio's catchy hooks lingering in our ears. Dangermuffin is delicious from the first bite, but be certain to give a closer listen to the depth of songwriter Dan Lotti's lyrics. www.dangermuffinmusic.com
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Miss Tess & the Bon Ton ParadeMiss Tess is a Boston-based singer-songwriter, who tours regularly with her band, as "Miss Tess & The Bon Ton Parade". After performing on stages for the last five years, Miss Tess has just released her anticipated fifth album, “Darling, oh Darling”. The album presents an ecclectic array of originals, all stemming from roots in jazz, swing, blues, and folk. www.misstessmusic.com |
Christabel and the Jons
Christabel & the Jons has been performing their distinctive style of folky swing since the spring of 2005. Old suitcases and vintage clothes from the 1920s-1950s give the performance a nostalgic ambiance, but it’s the songs that really captivate. Lead singer and songwriter Christa DeCicco is earning a reputation as one of the southeast’s finest laid-back jazz singers. www.christabelmusic.com
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Boulder Acoustic SocietyOld school but never old, Boulder Acoustic Society is the new wave of American roots music. It's what happens when four songwriters get together to mash up blues, folk, gospel, indie and world music to soothe their musical curiosity. The unique lineup of violin, accordion, bass and percussion support sharp vocal hooks and powerful grooves. All of this comes from four guys who wear vintage clothes, savor small batch bourbon and rock the ukulele. www.boulderacousticsociety.net
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Holy Ghost Tent RevivalCharacterized as "explosively intoxicating," Greensboro, NC's Holy Ghost Tent Revival cannot be pigeonholed into any popular genre. Melding brass with banjo, guitar, bass, drums, and keys this six-piece ensemble boasts an eclectic mash of instruments and styles -- a musical alchemy all their own. The overall air of their creation breathes a sense of celebration and salvation; of a raucous party where everyone's welcome and where even the most stoic will find their toes tapping and a smile breaking free.
www.holyghosttentrevival.com |
Packway Handle Band
Theirs is not a mission to preserve historical styles—it’s just how they do what they do the best. And what they do best is rooted in thought provoking songwriting, clever choice and arrangement of bluegrass traditionals, and totally unexpected (even totally inappropriate) covers, all delivered with a crackling energy. www.packwayhandle.com |
Rose's Pawn Shop
Los Angeles-based Rose’s Pawn Shop is a tornado of Appalachian bluegrass, alt-country, rock, folk, Celtic, punk and the kitchen sink, drawing in not only the attention of critics and fans but other musicians as well. Over the years, Rose's Pawn Shop has played with a diverse roster of bands including Junior Brown, Ghostland Observatory, Blues Traveler and DeVotchka. Jack White hand-picked them to open for The Raconteurs. www.rosespawnshop.com |
Alexis P. Suter Band
A true vocal phenomenon, Suter has been astounding audiences up and down the east coast backed by her tight, soul-rocking ensemble. Alexis P. Suter is a rising star on the roots, blues and soul scene, performing in Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble Sessions. Her powerful bass/baritone voice, seasoned with raw emotion and a wide streak of attitude, will be tearing up the dance floor. www.alexispsuter.com
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Soulhound
Soulhound has been described as “part James Brown funk, part Stevie Wonder soul, with the lyrical voice of Robert Bradley, all thrown in with some groovin' bass lines and powerful guitars.” Clearly, Soulhound are inspired disciples of the groove-oriented R&B, Soul and greasy Funk of the late sixties and seventies. Music to shake your Tic-Tacs to! www.soulhound.com |
Butch Robins' Imagicnation
Hailing from the Celtic descended southeastern US, Butch has established himself as an instrumental innovator and explorer. Described by Tony Trischka as a musical chameleon, Butch’s musical diversity was further evidenced in the Bluegrass world by his opposite ends of the spectrum inclusion as banjoist for Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys and bassist for New Grass Revival. Most recently Butch has formed a new ensemble, Butch Robins’ Imagicnation. Butch is joined by Tom Ohmsen (Mandolin), Kris Hodges (Drums, Percussion and Vocals) and John McBroom (Bass and Vocals) for his next Imagicnation. www.myspace.com/butchrobins |
Two Man Gentlemen Band
The Two Man Gentlemen Band’s original brand of raucous, retro vaudevillian swing is fast becoming an underground sensation. The Gentlemen’s memorable, pithy compositions combine the sounds of hot jazz, vintage rhythm & blues, and tin-pan alley with boundless energy and enthusiasm. www.thetwogentlemen.com |
The Mantras
The Mantras perform high energy psychedelic rock. Peminiscent of the blistering energy found in early seventies recordings of Frank Zappa's touring band, the Mantras excel with their virtuosic playing and superior musicianship, all the while not losing sight of the overall arrangements and songs. www.themantras.com |
Sol Driven Train
Sol Driven Train is a band in motion. Perpetually piling on and off the bus, the momentum of their hard work and heart-felt music propels the group upward. Stylistically the band “seamlessly mixes Allmanesque Southern rock, languid world-beat, swampy funk and downright catchy melodies as they swap lead singers and instruments. A punchy horn section adds an extra dimension of sweaty soul to the genre-blurring jam party” (Atlanta Creative Loafing, 11/21/06). www.soldriventrain.com |
William Walter & Co.Please welcome back William Walter & Co, the FloydFest 2008 Under the Radar Artist. William Walter & Co loves making music. Comfortable in the studio and onstage, the band puts on an energetic live show and has as much as fun as the audience. The band's unique sound combines high-energy folk/funk music with lots of room for deep solos and exploration. The ability to continually reinvent their sets keeps the material fresh and gives listeners exciting musical experiences. www.williamwalterandco.com |
Thunderdrums
Tribal electronica fused through world-beat percussion in a unique fashion, that is Thunderdrums. Looping unlike most audiences have ever seen is this melding of organic percussive instrumentation with electronic nuance brings Frank Bloom to the crossroads of tribal, trance, house, drum-n-bass compositions that have audiences all over on their feet and wanting more. www.reverbnation.com/thunderdrums |
Papadosio
Some music, because of its originality, timelessness, or mass appeal,, will always be destined for the hallowed halls of cult classicism. No band fits this criteria better than Papadosio. Their music is all about unexpected combinations - from Rock/House to Jazz/Hop to Dub/Breaks, every song has a unique approach to attaining originality. an amplified message of transcendence, unity, and universal understanding, Papadosio's mission is clear: To combine eclectic musical traditions with modern Electronica to stir the heart and fuel the mind. www.papadosio.com |
Folk Soul Revival
Folk Soul Revival is an upbeat, rootsy acoustic group from the mountains of Appalachia. Their diversity, creativity and passion is evident among those who have witnessed the boys hone their craft onstage. With their distinct vocal approaches, back-porch instrumentation, haunting four-part harmonies and sheer talent, the boys have garnered much success and have attracted a large following. www.myspace.com/folksoulrevival |
The Barefoot Movement
The Barefoot Movement is an acoustic trio, taking folk music somewhere new without forgetting the old. The group fuses the styles of bluegrass, old-time, Americana, and rock, creating an eclectic, original sound, featuring interweaving harmonies, progressive instrumentation, and accomplished songwriting. They bring listeners something they can relate to-something they can truly understand. The Barefoot Movement is contagious. http://barefoot-movement.com |
Kat Mills
Kat Mills is a radiant, class-act songwriter showcasing the raw energy of a single voice and acoustic guitar. A powerful range, vintage instruments, and inspiring soulful material combine to produce a clean honest sound that leaves audiences wanting more. Reminiscent of another time, commenting on today, Kat is currently based out of Blacksburg, VA and tours throughout the east and beyond. www.katmills.com |
3 Minute Lovin
Rock and Roll was born out of the Bakersfield sound. 3 Minute Lovin' is dedicated to reviving that sound in classic old-school and new music that retains the boogie and twang energy of the roots of rock. www.3minutelovin.com |
Adrienne YoungFolk-country musician Adrienne Young is a big supporter of community gardens and sustainable farming. She won a Grammy nomination for packaging for putting complimentary packets of wildflower seeds in her cds. She plays banjo and guitar, and writes most of her own songs. She has pretty much carved out a music career single-handedly, becoming something of a darling of the folk-bluegrass-country set. www.adrienneyoung.com
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The Steel WheelsThe Steel Wheels are truly an Americana band, rooted in musical styles that explore the territories between blues and bluegrass, old-time sing-alongs and foot-stompin’ fiddle tunes. Based in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, their newest album, Red Wing hit the top 20 in the AMA Charts in March 2010. Members of The Steel Wheels are innovators on and off the stage, and have made a name for themselves with their annual green SpokeSongs tour by bicycle. www.thesteelwheels.com
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American Dumpster
Under a stage shaped like a circus tent, the Dump, the world’s weirdest bar band, played messy dub-like originals and covers, Breeden doing his best Tom Waits-trapped-inside-Jim Morrison routine and the rest of the band casually reining in his chaos...The American Dumpster crowd grew and grew and really got into it, so that when they played their last song, “Viva Las Vegas,” and Breeden got everyone to do a Conga line and then bounced his guitar off the stage and said Goodbye, the crowd kept clapping and screaming. It was the first true encore I’d ever seen as the bemused band plugged back in and played one more, a raggedly beautiful version of “Folsom Prison Blues” that Johnny Cash would have loved.
-Toby Beard, C-Ville Weekly www.myspace.com/americandumpster
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J.P. Harris & the Tough Choices
J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices play Old-School Honky Tonk, set squarley between 1950 & 1975. Featuring the classic lineup of rhythm and lead guitar, electric bass, drums, and pedal steel, The Tough Choices embody an all-but vanished style of Country music that is rarely found on the barroom stage today. High-energy, danceable beats and tear-jerking ballads are sure to please the seasoned country fan or young initiate alike. myspace.com/thetoughchoices |
Danny Knicely and FriendsDanny Knicely is a 4th generation Appalachian multi-instrumentalist from a VA family steeped in mountain music tradition. He has used his roots in old-time and bluegrass to explore many musical styles from Irish, jazz and Latin, to the various musical styles he encountered while performing and studying music in India, Nepal, Tibet, and China. Danny has performed with countless bands, including Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams, Vassar Clements, Tony Rice, Mac Wisemen, Tim O’Brian, Sam Bush, Col. Bruce Hampton, and Larry Keel to name a few. www.myspace.com/dannyknicely
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Wayne HendersonWayne Henderson’s top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, VA; his guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in three national tours of “Masters of the Steel-String Guitar”, and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a guitar builder of great renown. His instruments have become among the most coveted in the world, and his lucky recipients include the likes of Doc Watson, Peter Rowan, Gillian Welch, and Eric Clapton. www.waynehenderson.org/
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Nat ReeseNathaniel H. "Nat" Reese was born in 1924 in Salem, VA, moving to Itmann, Wyoming County, in 1928. He now lives in Princeton, Mercer County. Nat grew up in the coal camps, surrounded by gospel, swing, and blues music. A former coal miner himself, Nat later turned to music as a profession, plying his skill as a guitarist and singer in a wide array of musical styles. Today Nat is a consummate performer, focused primarily on the traditional blues and swing music he learned as a boy in the coalfields. Nat is a blues legend, and you don't want to miss this set! virginiafolklife.org
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Old Sledge
Some of the best and brightest of a new generation playing traditional Appalachian music, Old Sledge is a trio of young musicians who fiddle tunes and sing songs from the Virginia and West Virginia mountain communities where they make their home. Inspired by the rich traditions around them, they play old hymns and ballads full of joy and sorrow, along with rousing banjo and fiddle tunes from at all-night square dances that have been passed down, one generation to the next, to land at their feet. myspace.com/oldsledge |
My RadioMy Radio is a melodic rock band that has its beginnings in Roanoke, Virginia. The band loves melody and rock, and they are just getting started exploiting the hell out of both. Currently, My Radio is working on its first full-length record, while touring in between. They would very much like to be the first band any and every 8 year old out there might happen to see. www.myspace.com/myradioband
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James Justin & Co
Gardens are a reoccurring theme in James Justin Burke’s musical life. The songwriter tends to an ever-growing plot of heartfelt tunes, tilling their verses and melodies with positive energy. He’s built his name as both a solid guitarist and strong vocalist. And after a decade of leading rock bands, he’s stepping out with his new company behind Southern Son, So Far, a nine-song debut album of heartfelt Americana, soul, and country ballads.
James Justin & Co. are childhood friends from just outside of Richmond, VA. Bailey Horsley’s banjo playing is heard throughout Southern Son, So Far, adding bluegrass flavor to JJB classics like “Turn This Thing Around.” Rounding out the trio, Tom Propst offers both his steady upright bass lines and the third in a trio of impeccable vocal harmonies. jamesjustinmusic.com
James Justin & Co will be headlining the VIP post-festival party on Sunday night.
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Morwenna Lasko & Jay Pun
A sound that's hard to describe, yet impossible to forget. With a cutting edge vibe that explodes with originality and soulful expression, Morwenna & Jay's music redefines the acoustic origins of violin and guitar. Both graduates of Berklee College of Music, the Violin & Guitar duo continue to push the boundaries of "acoustic" music. The release of their highly anticipated 2nd CD “Chioggia Beat,” illustrates their ability to reinvent the limits of their instruments and in the process produce a lush range of original work that is sure to move your soul and mind. The CD features their signature duo sound, their full band, as well as a few special guest musicians such as legendary world artist Pierre Bensusan, soul singer Ezra Hamilton, and Dave Matthews Band trumpeter Rashawn Ross. http://www.mojamusic.net
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Whitetop Mountain Band
The Whitetop Mountain Band is a family-based band from the highest mountains of Virginia. Whitetop, Virginia is an area rich in the old time music tradition; this band has deep roots in mountain music. The members have done much to preserve the Whitetop region’s style of old time fiddling and banjo picking and are legendary musicians and teachers of the style. The Whitetop Mountain Band is one of the most popular dance bands of the Appalachian Mountains. whitetopmountainband.tripod.com
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Gerald Anderson
Gerald Anderson began making mandolins over 30 years ago in Wayne Henderson's guitar shop. Over the past 30 years, Anderson has made over 60 guitars and over 140 mandolins. In the many years Anderson has been building instruments, he has also played old time and bluegrass music with much success. Gerald has made more than twenty-five recordings and has won over 200 ribbons from musical competitions, the most prestigious being the ribbon for 1st place guitar at the 2003 Galax Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax, VA. |
New Ballard Branch Bogtrotters
A dozen years ago a group of musicians from the Galax, VA area formed The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters. They took their name in part from the original Bogtrotters of the 1930's and because band leader Dennis Hall lives on Ballard's Branch. The band has gained quite a reputation, winning the 1st place Old Time Band contest at the prestigious Old Fiddlers convention in Galax on six different occasions. The New Ballard's Branch Bogtrotters remain a leading force in carrying the traditional music of the Virginia/Carolina Blue Ridge into the new millenium. www.myspace.com/thenewballardsbranchbogtrotters |
Blue Mule
Blue Mule is Tom Ohmsen (Mandolin), Tim Rhodes (Banjo), Eli Williams (Guitar, Bass and Vocals) and John McBroom (Bass, Guitar and Vocals).
Blue Mule works from a bluegrass foundation and plays music from a wide range of genres and styles. Enjoying the freedom to play for the music’s sake, Blue Mule has worked hard to absorb the lessons of their heroes and role models-legends of the contemporary acoustic music scene such as Sam Bush, David Grisman, Tony Rice and Bela Fleck, to name a few. A Blue Mule performance is one of intensity, spontaneity and the pursuit of "playing that lick just a little bit better than the night before!" www.bluemulemusic.com |
The Hot Seats
The Hot Seats play stringband music with simple intentions: to keep the role of traditional musician as entertainer and commentator alive and kicking. Homer and Jethro, The Skillet Likkers, Woodie Guthrie, Gus Cannon, Phil Ochs, Uncle Dave Macon, Frank Zappa – these are pools from which The Hot Seats draw. Their original music is simultaneously hard to classify and instantly identifiable, combining the virtuosic soloing and tightness of bluegrass, the band-driven rhythm of old time, the jerky bounce of ragtime, and the swagger of good old rock and roll. Add some eastern melodies, a few modernist ideals, and an uncanny feel for comic timing, and you begin to approach this sound. thehotseats.net |
Kill-Basa Bill's Roadshow
Kill-Basa Bill's Roadshow is a Bluegrass band with a moderately large following in the foothills area of the Blue Ridge. They play mostly traditional Bluegrass and Old Time music with a mix of novelty tunes.
The guitar player, Julian Lillard, from Brosville, Va. (no zip code) is world renown for his picking and singing. He also hosted the Rt.1 Bluegrass Show for five years live and now in syndication. The banjo player, Steve Fox, from Wentworth, N.C., worked with Tony Rice for 6 years. The mandolin player, Andy Williams from Coolemee, NC has been a blessing for this band with his excellent picking and High Tenor vocals. Last but largest, the bass player is Kill-Basa Bill from Danbury, NC. He has played at the Galax Fiddlers Convention for the past 30 years. He keeps us in time, and is the Spiritual Leader and bus driver. myspace.com/killbasabilltheroadshow |
Scintillation Fire Troupe
Scintillation Fire Troupe is the brainchild of a diverse group of Charlottesville Virginians who share a passion for flaming toys, drama, and make-it-yourself innovation. Drawing on mythological inspirations and sizzling chemistry, Scintillation's dancers co-create captivating fire shows rich in story, costume, originality and surprise. www.scintillationfiretroupe.com |
Dance Afire
Dance Afire Productions is a theatrical fire performance group based out of the Washington DC area. From light atmospheric movement to driven center-stage choreography, they offer a unique and unforgettable performance. Dance Afire Productions will be offering daily playshops in poi, hoop, staff, flags and other flow tools. Sample tools available for play and flow toys and fire tools available for purchase. All ages welcome! Stop by the booth and ask the crew for exact timing. www.myspace.com/danceafire |
Hoorah Cloggers
The Hoorah Cloggers are a performance Appalachian dance troop composed of members of the NROT community. A longstanding Blacksburg tradition bred from rhythm, grassroots, horseplay, wild madness, two hundred proof pure joy, and raised in a special nook of the Blue Ridge we call home, the Hoorah Cloggers spread the truth of music and dance like the Gospel over the mountaintops. All are welcome to come be a part of this wonderful group! http://www.hoorahcloggers.com/hc/pp/ |
Sauerkraut Band
The Schwartz Sauerkraut Band is a professional musical organization based in the New River Valley in SW Virginia performing authentic German style music in traditional Bavarian style clothing. The current band started performing in 1989 in southwest Virginia. The musical styles include traditional beer tent favorites such as Leichtensteiner Polka, Rosemunde (Beer Barrel Polka), Alte Kammeraden Marsch, Yorkshire Marsch, and group-participation numbers such as The Chicken Dance and Rucki Zucki. Comprised of over a dozen members, the band’s repertoire spans a wide range of polkas, waltzes, and marches, as well as folk dances such as the landler, schuplattler, and zwiefache. www.sauerkrautband.com |
Dot Dot Dash
Dot Dot Dash is an energetic force on the regional contra dance scene. Hailing from numerous points in Southwest Virginia and the North Carolina High Country, they began performing together in 2002. Blending a variety of traditional styles with their own crafty original tunes, they keep dancers moving with a driving rhythm and captivating sound. www.radford.edu/jhildret/dotdotdash/home.htm |
Miss Kitty's Wayward Cosmonauts
Miss Kitty's Society for Wayward Cosmonauts is a brigade of seasoned performers and perpetual motion machines who's dynamic, wonder inspiring antics include purrrrfectly demented ballerinas, boisterous cancan dancers, scintillating cigarette girls, high flying aerial silk, trapeze and net performers, hoop dancers, fire artists, stilters and more... misskittyscosmonauts.com |
Charles Eisenstein
Charles Eisenstein is a writer and speaker on themes of civilization, consciousness, and planetary transformation. He is the author of The Ascent of Humanity and the upcoming Sacred Economics, and contributes essays to the Reality Sandwich website. He is on the faculty of Goddard College's Health Arts and Sciences program. www.ascentofhumanity.com |
DrumSTRONG
DrumsForCures was created as a natural expression of our family's desire to be a vibrant part of beating cancer. Since rhythm is universal we decided that an event centered around the art and fun of hands on drumming would be a great way to bring people together. Our mission is to provide a venue for health entities and cancer societies to show our community the resources at hand to assist in directing and easing cancer concerns. Aiding local and national organizations to support those dealing with cancer, promote early detection and to work towards cures is a cause that is close to my heart. http://www.drumstrong.org/ |
Joe Klein
Joe Klein is the founder of Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme) and manages teen meditation retreats in Virginia for Mindful Awareness for Young Adults (MAYA). He also co-leads retreats for college students and professionals who work with youth at Radford University's Selu Retreat. He has over 20 years experience working with youth as a teacher, counselor and soccer coach. Joe brings playfulness and a whole body experiential integration to his work with young people. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Substance Abuse Counselor and a long term practitioner of meditation and Chinese internal martial arts. |
Rebel Dharma with Jason Murphy
Jason Murphy CADC, RAS, MBSR has been practicing mindfulness meditation since 1994. He is a teacher and counselor who works with youth, families and adults. Jason has taught mindful awareness in a variety of settings throughout the US and now leads a weekly mindfulness group for young adults in Santa Cruz. He has implemented MBSR in educational systems, businesses and community organizations. He has taught at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, MAYA Retreats and Against the Stream Meditation Society. Jason is empowered to teach by Noah Levine MA. author of Dharma Punx, Against the Stream, Mary Grace Orr Spirit Rock teacher and Bob Stahl, Ph.D., Director of the Santa Cruz Medical Foundation’s Mindfulness Stress Reduction Program. www.mindfulnessrecoverycounseling.com |
The Circus Practice
The Circus Practice is collaborative variety show, combining the artistry and spectacle of some of the most talented and motivated performers in Roanoke and the surrounding areas. Truley a variety show for the attention impaired, The Circus Practice weaves in magic, comedy, dance and drama, while taking you on a journey though music past and present, from Droconian ballet to surf rock frenzies. The Circus Practice will be playing in the Performing Arts area. | |
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Best Outdoor Festival: FloydFest
"It’s not the oldest festival in
the region (Floyd Fest didn’t get
kicking until 2002),but it’s
definitely your favorite."
~Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine
Levon Helms' Electric Dirt
wins GRAMMY for
BEST AMERICANA ALBUM
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS
Brewery
Bull and Bones Brewhaus and Grill
JUDGE'S CHOICE AWARDS
Wine
Best Red Château Morrisette Chambourcin
Best White Rockbridge Riesling
Best Sweet Horton Blancoxoco
Best in Show Villa Appalacia Toscanello
Beer
Best Light Northern Lights IPA
Best Medium Shooting Creek Rebel Ale
Best Dark Highland Brewing Co. Mocha Stout
Best in Show Starr Hill India Pale Ale
New FloydFest Timberframe Speaker Towers
Thank you to all of our fantastic UTR bands - VOTE to see your favorite on the Dreaming Creek Main Stage in 2011.
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