Zion I (pronounced "Zion Eye") are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer (& DJ), AmpLive, and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I debuted in 1997 with the locally distributed cassette-only EP Enter the Woods. Their first single on Indie label Ground Control Records ("Inner Light") paved the way for an album deal and in 2000, they released the critically acclaimed Mind Over Matter. In total, they have released six studio albums, 2000's Mind Over Matter, 2003's Deep Water Slang V2.0, 2005's True & Livin', 2006's Break a Dawn (a Japan exclusive), also in 2006 a collaborative album with The Grouch, Heroes in the City of Dope, and 2009's The Take Over.

After signing with independent label Ground Control Records, the duo released their debut single "Inner Light" in 1998, along with their debut EP Starship. In 1999, they released their next single "Critical" featuring Planet Asia, and another EP, Chapter 4. Their debut album Mind Over Matter finally surfaced in 2000. The effort was one of the most critically acclaimed underground albums of the year, and was nominated for Independent Album of the Year by The Source Magazine. AmpLive's futuristic production techniques and Zumbi's strong and substantial lyrical content were a major hit with underground Hip Hop fans.

www.zionicrew.com

“Every star in the sky will shine for you.” In the refrain of Ironwood opener “Enjoy the View,” Mare Wakefield might just be singing from experience. The girl from Southeast Texas went from playing Oregon coffee shops to headlining major Northwest festivals before a songwriting scholarship brought her to Boston’s Berklee College of Music which boasts alums such as Gillian Welch and Aimee Mann (two of many artists that Mare has been compared to). Currently based in Nashville, Mare—pronounced Mary—continues her upward trajectory by co-writing with hit songwriters and burning up the highways with her fourth studio album in tow.

Mare celebrates the release of Ironwood with a 5-week tour of the Western US, then heads to Holland and Germany before hitting the Northeast.

www.marewakefield.com

Ticket Pricing: $7 - $10

Contact Info:
541-431-6603
407 Blair - Eugene, Oregon 97405

Fresh from their gig at Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival and recent dates with Squeeze and Bad Manners, 2 Tone ska legends The English Beat, headed up by the ever-affable Dave Wakeling, continue to bring their feel-good ska vibes across the United States. Hailing from Birmingham England, The English Beat is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the release of their 1980 debut album I Just Can't Stop It, which spawned the hits "Tears of a Clown", "Mirror In the Bathroom", "Best Friend", "Twist & Crawl" and "Too Nice to Talk To".

As a major part of the 2 Tone ska music revolution of the late 70s and early 80s alongside The Specials, Madness and The Selector, the English Beat's hybrid was a delightful blend of Toots and the Maytals, the Velvet Underground, Buzzcocks, The Four Tops and Van Morrison. The band toured internationally with The Clash, Talking Heads, The Police and REM and their songs had prime soundtrack placement in the films Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Grosse Pointe Blank.

The musical juggernaut that is Dave Wakeling hasn't lost any momentum in songwriting. Dave is the singer/songwriter from two of the most popular bands of the end of the millennium, The English Beat and General Public. Whether it's the personal as political in "How Can You Stand There", making politics personal in "Stand Down Margaret", taking a stand against global warming as he did with Greenpeace's "Alternative NRG", or helping little kids stand up proudly with "Smile Train", Dave has always stood for something. And like the mighty Redwoods of his adopted home of California, it's been easy for Dave to take a stand because of his strong roots.

www.myspace.com/officialbeatspace

Ramana Vieira sings with such a wide range of emotions one cannot help but be mesmerized by images of “old world” Portugal that emerge from the depths of her soul. Her extraordinary gift of bringing this 15th century style into modern times is her unique trademark. Often referred to as the “New Voice of Portuguese World Music,” this powerful vocalist is making her mark as one of the premier contemporary Fado artists. According to the Portuguese, Fado is a melancholy and often-mournful music similar to the American blues as it tells stories of heartache and disappointment. The essence of the poetry is the quality of “saudade,” a word that is difficult to translate as it expresses a myriad of feelings.

Ramana’s personal relationship to Fado music lies deep in her family history, as her grandfather was a famous musician and composer from Madeira Island, Portugal. Born in San Leandro, California to Portuguese immigrants, Ramana was fortunate to be exposed to the voices of Portugal’s past at a young age. “During my childhood, I sang with my mother to Amália Rodgrigues and other fabulous fadistas that were part of her special record collection,” said Ramana in a recent interview. Her mother quickly observed her daughter’s gift for music and by the age of ten she bought a piano so that Ramana could study classical music.

www.ramanavieira.net

The Walkmen is an American indie rock band, with members based in New York City and Philadelphia. The band formed in 2000 with three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater—Paul Maroon (guitar, piano), Walter Martin (organ/bass), and Matt Barrick (drums)—and two from The Recoys, Peter Bauer (bass/organ) and Hamilton Leithauser (vocals, guitar). All but Bauer attended St. Albans in Washington, D.C. They prefer the sound of vintage musical instruments, particularly the upright piano, and have often recorded at Marcata Recording, a recording studio built in Harlem in 1999 by the three former members of Jonathan Fire*Eater and later relocated to upstate New York.

The Walkmen recorded 13 songs in five days in August 2009 with John Congleton and Chris Zane. A number of new songs have been performed live since the summer of 2009. They will be releasing the album on Fat Possum Records. They recorded "something like 28 songs," but have not decided how many will be on the record. In support of the new album, The Walkmen are set to perform at All Tomorrow Parties in May 2010, Lollapalooza in early August 2010, and the Reading and Leeds Festivals at the end of August 2010. On June 16, it was announced on Pitchfork Media that their new album will be released on September 14. It will be entitled Lisbon.

The Walkmen - On The Water from Nir Ben Jacob on Vimeo.

Ticket Pricing: $13 Advance, $15 Door
Purchase Tickets >>

Contact Info:
541-687-2746
291 West 8th Avenue - Eugene, Oregon 97402

A native of Eugene, OR, Bonham began singing at age five, playing the violin at nine and piano at age 14. After earning a violin scholarship at University of Southern California, she transferred to Berklee College of Music to study voice and began writing and recording her own material. On her 1996 debut The Burdens of Being Upright, Bonham established herself as a brash rocker with ironic nods to the emerging music of punk grrrrl bands. With blunt, direct observations on love and loss, the album went gold and earned the singer Grammy nominations for Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Female Vocalist.

Critics took notice as well. Rolling Stone noted "this classically trained Boston singer-songwriter sets meandering Aimee Mann-like melodies over bright electro-pop folk with string-laden atmospherics." "Mother Mother", her first single, became a nationwide anthem and earned the singer an MTV Video Music Awards nomination. From the late 1990s to the mid 2000s, Bonham steadily recorded and performed both individually and with numerous groups, appearing with everyone from Blue Man Group and Aerosmith and to Ron Sexsmith and Juliana Hatfield. Following 2005's Blink the Brightest and the 2006 EP In the City + In the Woods, the singer took some time to focus on other things, earning a yoga teaching certification while learning to live a more balanced life, not realizing initially that her non-musical experiences would be fodder for what would eventually become Masts.

www.tracybonham.com/

Ticket Pricing: $10 - $12 Door

Contact Info:
541-687-4643
silvia@bighassle.com

Trace Bundy must be seen, not just heard. His music is poetry in motion, using harmonics, looping, multiple capos, and his unique banter and stage presence to deliver an unforgettable live concert experience. Listening to his intricate arrangements is one thing, but seeing the fan-dubbed "Acoustic Ninja" play live confounds even the most accomplished music lovers as to how one person can do all that with just two hands and ten fingers.

Trace has independently sold over 58,000 albums on his record label, Honest Ninja Music, and regularly plays sellout shows with standing ovations at venues across the USA and around the world (16 countries and counting). Video clips circulate virally at astonishing speed, with over 9,500,000 YouTube views to date.

Trace was named "Most Promising New Talent" of 2008 by Acoustic Guitar Magazine, as well as winning third place in the magazine's "Best Fingerstyle Guitarist" category the same year. Last summer, he performed at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre in front of a crowd of over 7,000 people as part of The World's Largest Music Lesson. Over the past couple of years, Trace has shared the stage with Neko Case, Brandi Carlile, Judy Collins, David Knopfler (Dire Straits), Bill Nershi (String Cheese), Laurence Juber (Paul McCartney & Wings), David Wilcox, Chris Hillman (The Byrds), Stanley Jordan, and MOFRO, among others.

Dave Kirby from the Boulder Weekly says, "Possessing a staggering acoustic technique, on both right and left sides, Bundy has made his reputation as a next generation solo guitarist of serious repute."

www.tracebundy.com

Kina started playing shows at the age of four in front of her stuffed animals. Now she plays in front of people, though it wasn’t the quickest transition for the admittedly shy songstress. While attending college at USC, Kina often retreated to the secluded stairwells around campus where she could write and sing without being heard. Protected by their quiet confines, she found a safe haven and a creative outlet for her music. Armed with a guitar and a cup of tea, Kina wrote in every stairwell she came across. And it was within these stairwells that she developed her confidence as a songwriter and her poise as a performer.

In 2007, Kina joined YouTube, made a music video and entered herself into a contest. A few months later, her video for “Message From Your Heart” aired during the Superbowl and its 97 million viewers (or 194 million eyeballs, depending on how you’re keeping track) and she walked away with a record deal. Since then, Kina has regularly posted her songs on YouTube, amassing many millions of views, and toured throughout North America. Her songs have been heard on television shows such as ABC’s General Hospital and MTV’s College Life.

Kina independently released her first full-length album, Stairwells, on February 23, 2010. Her music is both sweet and melancholy, but always filled with hope. She’d want you to know that she saves drowning honeybees from pools whenever she gets the chance.



www.kinagrannis.com

Critically acclaimed husband and wife duo Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart will bring their lively and captivating blend of folk-country songwriting and story-telling to the Axe and Fiddle on Friday, September 24th. Since 1992, they have toured throughout the U.S.A., Europe, and Canada, averaging 170 performances a year. Their 2010 tour finds them on a mission to drive their loyal 1999 Chevy Suburban to the West Coast and back one last time before it is officially retired. To assure anyone worried that their trusty ride will not make it, Stacey and Mark write on their website that "Our Chevy Suburban has seen us safely up and over the Rockies in snow storms and ice. She has never failed to arrive at a gig on time. She is the crew!"

Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart met in Nashville, Tennessee in 1991 and they have been inseparable ever since-writing songs, raising children, touring, and achieving a high amount of respect for their consummate stage performances. Stacey Earle, the sister of alt-country singer Steve Earle, has released a number of solo albums, including Simple Gearle, which the New York Times listed in 2000 as one of its "Favorite CD's You Nearly Missed." Mark Stuart, one of the most skilled guitarists in the Americana scene, is also an accomplished songwriter, Left of Nashville (2008) being his latest release. Together, they own and operate Gearle Records, an independent record label which has released their solo offerings and their exquisite duo albums such as Never Gonna Let You Go (2003) and S&M Communion Bread (2005).

For those who have never seen Stacey and Mark live, this will be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy their poignant songs about love, family, and everything in between as they stop in Cottage Grove on their way to Portland and Seattle. The Low Tide Drifters, a folk band from Eugene, will open the show at 8:30 p.m.

Ticket Pricing: $10

Contact Info:
541-942-5942
lowtidedrifters@gmail.com

Grammy Nominated international recording artists Les Nubians have intrigued audiences for almost a decade with their inventive and glamorous Afropean style. This distinctive sound embodies the timeless vibrations of Miriam Makeba, Ella Fitzgerald, Doudou N’diaye Rose, Fela Kuti, Edith Piaf, The Fugees, and Soul II Soul. Recognized for their colorful auras, Les Nubians’ vogue is a fusion of Funkin’ Fashion and Modern Amazon. Adoring fans pay tribute to the French/Cameroonian sister duo for their continuous flow of jazzy nuances, hard hitting drum ‘n’ bass lines, harmonious melodies, conscious proclamations and humanitarian endeavors.

Recognized for their colorful auras, Les Nubians' vogue is a fusion of Funkin' Fashion and Modern Amazon. Adoring fans pay tribute to the French/Cameroonian sister duo for their continuous flow of jazzy nuances, hard hitting drum ‘n' bass lines, harmonious melodies, conscious proclamations and humanitarian endeavors.

Les Nubians continue their journey, igniting the stage with their vibrant presence… Expect their highly anticipated third album soon!

www.lesnubians.com

There aren’t a lot of Warped Tour vets who can claim proficiency in the use of washboards, bottleneck slides and five-gallon buckets. Most didn’t spend their teens playing along to Charlie Patton and Bukka White albums. And just about none are fronted by a commissioned member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels.

But the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, who appeared for two weeks on the 2009 Warped Tour and will be on the entire 2010 tour, are all that and more. With wild sing-a-longs and flaming washboards, their live shows have been converting skeptics left and right.

Now, with the May 25 release of “The Wages,” the soulful, swinging country-blues trio proves they’re more than just a world class live band. Their second album for SideOneDummy Records, it was produced by Paul Mahern (Zero Boys, John Mellencamp) and recorded in the band’s Big Damn Tradition: live in the studio with no overdubs on honest-to-goodness analog tape.

Appropriate to our times, “The Wages” is thematically rooted in the blues tradition of hard-bitten reality matched with enduring optimism.

he Big Damn Band is very much a family affair, with the good reverend on finger-style resonator guitar and lead vocals, his wife “Washboard” Breezy Peyton on washboard and vocals, and distant cousin Aaron “Cuz” Persinger on drums and bucket. The band’s home base is deep in the hills of Southern Indiana’s Brown County, which boasts a population of 14,957. (Or 14,954 when the band’s out on the road playing close to 250 gigs a year, including appearances at the Austin City Limits festival and tours with Flogging Molly, Derek Trucks, and Clutch.)



www.bigdamnband.com