ABSFest Friday FanDom Nerdlesque
ABSFest Friday FanDom NerdlesqueWe’re bringing back our Friday Nerdlesque show for our 16th year, bringing together national burlesque, sideshow and variety artists! See your favorite Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Music and Pop Culture FanDoms flying their freak flags. Hosted by the mighty powerhouse of Atlanta, Lola Le Soleil. VIPs enjoy 7 PM doors, preferential seating, VIP goodies, AND a special VIP sword-swallowing show! General Admission doors at 7:30pm. AGES 18+.
The Wildmans
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY THE WILDMANS The Wildmans come from the hills of Floyd, Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian mountain music tradition. From campsite jamming at festivals and fiddler’s conventions and a college level music education comes the foundation for musical exploration that sets this group apart, taking the audience on a musical journey that reflects the growth and passion of these talented musicians. The group has appeared on stages large and small, performing in festivals such as Red Wing Roots, Chantilly Farm’s Bluegrass and BBQ festival, Grey Fox Bluegrass, Floyd Fest, and The Steep Canyon Rangers’ Mountain Song Festival. They also regularly represent young talent along the Crooked Road in regional fiddler’s conventions. Having shared the stage with talents such as Bela Fleck, The Steep Canyon Rangers. The Steel Wheels, Danny Knicely, Sammy Shelor, Sierra Hull, Billy Strings, and more. These young musicians are making their way in the American stringband scene. DORI FREEMAN Dori Freeman has sharpened her vision of Appalachian Americana over five studio albums. From the country traditionalism of her self-titled debut to the amplified folk of Ten Thousand Roses, it’s a sound that nods to her mountain-town roots even as it reaches beyond them. Freeman continues creating her own musical geography with Do You Recall, the songwriter’s most eclectic — and electric — record yet. Like a counterpart to Ten Thousand Roses — the 2021 release that found Freeman trading the acoustic textures of her earlier work for a more expansive, electrified version of American roots music — Do You Recall nods to the full range of Freeman’s influences and abilities. She still sings with the unforced vibrato of a classic folksinger, but she’s more of a modern trailblazer than a throwback traditionalist, funneling her Blue Ridge roots into a contemporary sound that’s both broad and bold.
John Craigie
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY JOHN CRAIGIE John Craigie has mastered the art of creating live shows that feel more like intimate conversations than performances. Infusing humor, wit, and poignant storytelling, his shows are a space where audience members feel like old friends. Whether he’s headlining solo or sharing the stage with longtime collaborators, Craigie’s ability to make his crowd laugh, reflect, and connect is second to none. As he prepares to release Greatest Hits… Just Kidding… Live – No Hits, his latest live album captures the warmth and spontaneity of these memorable nights. At this point, there have been quite a few good shows in the rearview… As a tried-and-true performer, he has regularly sold out solo tours in addition to hitting the road with the likes of Langhorne Slim, Brett Dennen, Mason Jennings, Bella White and Jack Johnson. He has picked up fans with sets at Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Edmonton Folk Festival, and High Sierra Music Festival. Including numerous European tours and his first Australian tour in spring of 2024 Moreover, his annual river trip on the Tuolumne River—just outside of Yosemite in California—has remained a hit with his audience, hosting one sellout after another. Giving back as much as possible, he notably launched the #KeepItWarm Tour during the holidays. By donating $1 from every ticket sale, this headline run has raised money for regional non-profits with the goal of fighting food insecurity. An avowed Beatles acolyte, he has performed acoustic renditions of the albums Abbey Road and Let It Be live in front of packed crowds and partnered with Record Store Day for limited-edition vinyl releases of those concerts. To him, the live albums seek to achieve a sound where the listener will feel like they’re in the venue, sitting and experiencing the show with the rest of the crowd. CAT CLYDE Cat Clyde is a singer/songwriter based out of rural Ontario, Canada. A combination of driven, soulful blues and sweet, folk- tinged, dulcet tones that carry a particular sense of familiarity provide the structure on which she creates her unique sound. With influences ranging from Patsy Cline and Lead Belly to Karen Dalton and Bobbie Gentry, this patchwork of musical significance, when stitched to her modern approach, fits like a well-tailored, corduroy-road cloth. Cat’s latest album Down Rounder is a wonder of deeply felt songwriting, a record that finds her marveling at what’s around her while considering her own place within it all. After racking up millions of streams across multiple platforms with previous releases, Down Rounder sounds like the work of someone who’s found themselves artistically and holistically, while extending a hand to any listener who wants to follow Clyde on her singular and thrilling path.
TWEENER TUESDAY: Suns of Stars
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY DARK MOON HOLLOW Dark Moon Hollow is a four-piece bluegrass band hailing from the heart of Lexington, Kentucky, blending the rich traditions of Appalachian music with a modern edge. Over the course of eight years, the band has seen an impressive evolution, with 15 talented members contributing to its sound and identity. Today, the group features an electrifying lineup: Trigger Trey on guitar, Riley Logan on mandolin, JD Thomas holding down the rhythm on bass, and Andrew Taylor weaving captivating melodies on fiddle. Together, they create a dynamic energy that has captivated audiences across the region. The band’s debut album, Dark Moon Hollow, introduced their raw, roots-driven sound to the world, earning regional acclaim and solidifying their place in the bluegrass community. The album’s heartfelt lyrics and driving instrumentals captured the spirit of Kentucky, establishing the group as torchbearers of the state’s storied musical heritage. Building on that foundation, their sophomore album, Final Notice, showcased a bolder, more intricate approach to songwriting and arrangement. The record pushed boundaries, incorporating complex harmonies and innovative instrumental interplay, earning critical praise and cementing their reputation as a band willing to evolve while staying true to their roots. Known for their high-energy live shows and deep connection to their audience, Dark Moon Hollow has become a mainstay of the Appalachian bluegrass circuit. Despite the lineup changes, their dedication to authenticity and musical excellence has remained unwavering. With a sound that blends tradition and innovation, they continue to draw new fans while honoring the legacy of those who came before them, proving that the spirit of bluegrass is alive and thriving in their hands. SUNS OF STARS Orbiting around Asheville’s grateful music scene since late 2023, Suns Of Stars blends contemporary and traditional bluegrass with a high energy jam style. Suns Of Stars members are all hometown heroes in various musical projects around town which has led to great turnout at their shows. That, along with a massive song repertoire and growing list of original music make for a unique performance each time.
Murder By Death: Farewell Tour 2025 w/ BJ Barham
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY MURDER BY DEATH Farewell Tour Messaging:This band has always been a jumble of contradictions. On the one hand, we’ve had a long-running career where we got to make art for a living. But on the other hand, we have always eluded any kind of traditional success. We weren’t covered much in the press, we never had a song that had a lot of radio play, nothing ever went viral, we didn’t have a big social media presence, we never played a good festival spot where there was a sea of people in the audience, not once opened an arena or even a big shell auditorium show or tour. We constantly lost opportunities because of the band name and were somehow always treated like nobodies or yesterday’s news by most of the industry. But you, you gosh dang wonderful audience, managed to keep us growing, and we never had a career slump. When we were our busiest — playing over 200 shows a year — we were chronically underpaid and always barely scraping by. But people kept writing to us or telling us how much we mattered and kept showing up, and we started to believe it a little. And then over the years, we grew to a more manageable place and it seemed possible to carve out a niche in this massive, mean world of entertainment. When I reflect on how good our career was and how lucky we were, I’m left with just gratitude for the small team of folks who have worked with the band and this grassroots fan following that has lifted us up the entire time. I feel like we owe any and all our success to you. I never called us DIY — despite taking on much of the work ourselves — because there are always people behind the scenes helping: it takes a village. Thank you to the promoters, clubs, bands, managers, agents, artists, publishers, lawyers, publicists, crews, etc. etc. etc. who believed in us and everyone who made this work for so long. An enormous thank you to those of you who helped us through the many difficult periods. Thank you for your relentless support, your passionate listening, and your generosity. It’s been the honor of my life to write, record, sing and perform for you. We are currently in the studio pouring ourselves into a new album — stay tuned for it. After this tour, we plan to continue to do our cave shows so we can have a way to meet up once a year, but that’s it. Excited to see you all on this last trip out. —Adam Turla & Murder By Death BJ BARHAM (of AMERICAN AQUARIUM) For nearly two decades, American Aquarium have pushed toward that rare form of rock-and-roll that’s revelatory in every sense. “For us the sweet spot is when you’ve got a rock band that makes you scream along to every word, and it’s not until you’re coming down at three a.m. that you realize those words are saying something real about your life,” says frontman BJ Barham. “That’s what made us fall in love with music in the first place, and that’s the goal in everything we do.”
Scott H. Biram
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY SCOTT H BIRAM Scott H. Biram unleashes a fervent display of conviction through, not only the genuine blues, classic country, bluegrass, and rock n roll, but he seals the deal with punk, heavy metal, and frankly, anything else he wants to. He’s The Dirty Old One Man Band. He will still the room with haunting South Texas blues, then turn it upside down, into a truck driver’s mosh pit. Like he says, it might be baptism, or it might be murder, either way…you gonna see the light. This legally ordained preacher’s singing, yodeling, growling, leering and brash preachin’ and hollerin’ is accompanied by sloppy riffs, and licks literally yanked, one at a time, out of his collection of crusty, worn out, Gibson hollowbody guitars, and battle axes. All this held down with a pounding backbeat brought forth by his amplified left foot, and self customed stomp board. The remainder of this brutally charming one-man band consists of an unwieldy combination of beat-up amplifiers and old microphones strung together by a tangled mess of guitar cables. Don’t get too close! You gonna get some grease on ya! Years of compulsive touring, along with a steady diet of down and dirty blues, rock, punk, country, and hillbilly have developed Scott H. Biram’s signature concoction, attracting a hefty array of fans who dig the bizarre and twisted sides of the rock and roll spectrum. His live shows, performed all over the world, deliver a take no prisoners attitude, a stomping, pulsing John Lee Hooker-channeling, and cockeyed tales of black water baptisms and murder, all while romanticizing the on-the-road lifestyle. SCOTT H. BIRAM IS THE DIRTY OLD ONE MAN BAND. ©1974 THE JD PINKUS TRIPTYCH The JD Pinkus Triptych is the natural progression for Pinkus. After years of playing with the likes of Butthole Surfers, Melvins, Helios Creed, Honky, Pure Luck, and more, he settled into a solo career of psychedelic banjo or as he calls it ‘Space Grass’. After purchasing an old church in West Asheville, known now as the Frijoleness Church of West Asheville with his wife, they began curating monthly Sunday shows and the Taco Tuesday Jam Sessions (no guitars allowed). Out of those jams came a band made of Banjo, Piano, and an experimental Cocktail Drum Kit all playing JD Pinkus songs from his past and some new ones to add since the inception. On Piano is Billy Sheeran a solo artist/session player/soundtrack composer who performed on Pinkus’ last album Grow A Pear and on Drums is Richard Kirby, multi instrumental/skateboarding/tattooist with roots in the Desert music scene and the Appalachian mountains. The catalog is as diverse as the members of the band and have been in the studio recording as well as booking up shows starting the Springtime of 2025.
Andrew Duhon
ALL AGES SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE ANDREW DUHON There’s a mystical allure to the road. Innately literal and figurative, it is both the blacktop and the connective tissue between people, places, and cultures. The opportunity to venture beyond what’s known and comfortable into what’s possible. A rugged romanticism of packing up a standard issue Chevy Express tour van with instruments, scuffed amps, overflowing merch boxes, and a trio of musicians setting sail to share Duhon’s songs with anyone who will listen. For a young Andrew Duhon, the road was the connection from “No Man’s Land” to the “Promised Land.” A chance to truly connect with former strangers through song. To feel equal kinship with the good ol’ boys in Beaumont, TX and the hippies and artists in Bellingham, WA. Duhon has a knack for telling the kind of stories that clearly cost the writer something to tell, the kind of honesty that feels noble and never half hearted. Entertaining? Sure, but when a song written by a stranger heals you, even in the smallest way, that’s a connection beyond entertainment, and that is the journey Andrew Duhon sets out on from his home in Louisiana. His songs are about recognizing our story as much as they are about telling his, and his coast to coast pursuits have given him a clearer view of the American Landscape than most are privy to. But after years of voyaging off to every corner of the country, a new sensation arises with each return to New Orleans. The fondness for home returns and, for the moment, forgives the potholes and the incompetence of local politics to focus on those familiar sights, sounds, and singular culture of Louisiana from the old European feeling of The French Quarter to the rural cane fields of Cajun country where his father’s side resides, now noticing the changes after every stretch of time spent away. And from that familiar return comes The Parish Record, a snapshot of life venturing from and returning to one of America’s purest cultural vignettes, and the beauty, conflict, and stories that come with it. The Parish Record was recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice, LA, where deep in Cajun country sits a wood-panel barn engulfed in oak and cypress trees along the slow butterscotch bayou pace of the Vermillion River. In this isolated hub of Acadiana, Andrew Duhon embarked with his trio of most trusted musicians – Myles Weeks (James Hunter Six, Eric Lindell) on Bass, Jim Kolacek (Feufollet) on Drums, and Daniel Walker (Heart, Ann Wilson, Amy Ray) on Keys – to harness of the sound and feeling of their surroundings. Justin Tockett, the house engineer at Dockside is also, as Duhon claims, his secret weapon. From Duhon, “Justin’s production is the most underrated thing in the room, and his spirit is peaceful and literally at home at that studio. There’s a cat on his lap most of the time he’s mixing. I mean, come on… That’s the feeling I wanted to feel when making this record from what felt like home to me. It wasn’t time to hit Nashville or try out something new on this one. It was about believing in the songs from where the songs came from.” This new collection speaks of Louisiana and carries the weight synonymous with Duhon records: deep, evocative narratives that take listeners on a journey through a character’s skin, heart-wrenching ballads which bare the songwriter’s soul, and hard-driving bluesy rockers that rise in counterbalance to the weight of the lyric.
SHINYRIBS
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY SHINYRIBS Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing, and roots-rock. The Austin based nine-piece (sometimes 10-piece) supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on-stage antics that often include him donning a light-up cloak or leading a conga line through the crowd. Shinyribs’ new record – Transit Damage (July 2023 on Blue Elan / Hardcharger Records) is, in Russell’s words, “the record I’ve been trying to make for most of my career. This is a collection of songs that relate to each other in a myriad of ways: musically, lyrically, emotionally. It’s a real throwback to the era of complete albums, and draws from songs I’ve written throughout my life. I hope listeners can take the time to fully immerse themselves in the whole thing.” To help him flesh this collection out, Russell picked producer and longtime friend Steve Berlin (from Los Lobos) to help him arrange and record Transit Damage. Together they chose to work at another auspicious location, The Finishing School studios in Austin. The Finishing School is housed in the former home of Austin legend George Reiff (The Chicks, Bruce Robison, Ray Wylie Hubbard) who engineered and produced Shinyribs’ debut Well After Awhile back in 2010. Reiff, a close personal friend of Russell’s, tragically passed away from.cancer in 2017, yet his legacy lives on. His home studio was refurbished by Band of Heathens’ Gordy Quist, and reopened a couple years ago with acclaimed engineer Jim Vollentine. Berlin helped source a number of auxiliary players around town to help expand the Shinyribs sound, and realize Russell’s bigger vision. Shinyribs’ bassist Mason Hankamer also lent some producing skills, helping arrange many of the songs. Shinyribs was named Best Austin Band at the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards (2017, 2018), awarded Album of the Year for I Got Your Medicine (2017), and Best 2020-Themed Song for “Stay Home” (2020). Russell’s Shinyribs have recorded seven previous albums: 2010’s Well After Awhile; Gulf Coast Museum (2013); Okra Candy (2015); 2017’s award-winning I Got Your Medicine; a compilation of holiday standards and new compositions The Kringle Tingle (2018); and the group’s latest soulful release, Fog & Bling (2019); and Late Night TV Gold, (2021). KEVIN GORDON Kevin Gordon’s Louisiana is a strange place. It’s a place where restless teens road trip to where the highway dead-ends at the Gulf of Mexico; a place where prisoners who are in for life compete in a rodeo while the town watches; where a character can get lost in the humid afternoon and where religion may not signify hope; and where rivers, never far away, carry secrets behind levees. “One of the things I like about it and am mystified by is that what passes for normal in Louisiana would not make the grade elsewhere,” he says.
Melissa Carper and Theo Lawrence
ALL AGES FULLY SEATED SHOW LIMITED NUMBER OF PREMIUM SEATING TICKETS AVAILABLE MELISSA CARPER AND THEO LAWRENCE Melissa Carper and Theo Lawrence barely knew each other when they started singing songs together in the fall of 2023. Little introduction was needed to get down to action (get down to business or get into the action) because what these two were supposed (intended or meant?) to do together went without saying : songs needed to be written, harmonies had to be sung and an album must be made. In the last several years Carper and Lawrence have individually earned their spots as acclaimed recording artists on the Roots Music scene, seamlessly blending old-time Country, Jazz and Soul on their records. A country woman from Arkansas and a city man from Paris with two very different paths and voices, they were brought together by their love and devotion to traditional American music. They regularly gathered in the kitchen for long afternoon hangs in Austin, Texas where they both now live, and had an album worth of songs right in time for Spring. They hit the road together in June 2024, putting their newly-composed classic love songs to the test, in front of attentive crowds in listening rooms throughout Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California. Riding on endless desert roads, they took time to get acquainted, humming songs to the sound of the Ford Transit radio, simply « Havin’ A Talk ». These two take the Art of cutting records rather seriously, so they took their business to the Athens of the South, in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s there at the Bomb Shelter studio, that Melissa crafted her last few albums, with the help of Andrija Tokic’s capable hands. A few phone calls and good taste in musicians brought a few talented friends and some of the best session players to the room, to form Melissa and Theo’s A-team of their dreams. Chris Scruggs, who they brought in for rhythm guitar and steel, casually stepped up in the co-producer’s shoes, alongside Theo and Melissa. The result is a debut duet-album like they just don’t make ‘em anymore… Two remarkable and unique voices that have bewildered many who came to hear them in all kinds of rooms for about a decade, heard together for the first time, blending like glass in a timeless glint of blushing shadows.
Cameron Whitcomb
ALL AGESSTANDING ROOM ONLY VIP MEET & GREET PACKAGES AVAILABLE, INCLUDING: One GA ticket to the show, acoustic soundcheck performance, Q&A Session, Signed commemorative VIP pass, Merchandise shopping prior to doors opening to the public, Early entry into the venue CAMERON WHITCOMB Cameron Whitcomb brings a unique perspective to songwriting, deeply influenced by his own life experiences, including his battles and journey in the music industry. His approach to songwriting reflects a raw and authentic narrative style, drawing listeners into his world through vivid storytelling and emotional honesty. His latest single, “The Devil I’ve Seen,” exemplifies this unique approach, delving into the profound and challenging topic of sexual abuse. Through his music, Whitcomb offers a glimpse into the complexities of his life and the darker aspects of human experiences, inviting audiences to connect with the more profound, often unspoken realities. His ability to weave personal tales into compelling musical narratives sets him apart in the songwriting landscape, resonating with listeners who find solace and understanding in his words. BEN COTTRILL Ben Cottrill is a dynamic and spirited artist known for his distinctive Americana-Soul sound. He has spent over a decade performing across Canada, developing a one-man-band style that fuses live vocal looping with the warm rhythms of piano and guitar to deliver captivating and soulful live performances. Cottrill’s talent caught the attention of CTV’s “The Launch” music series, where he was mentored by Canadian music icon Bryan Adams. He has also played over 500 live shows across Canada, including performances at the Vancouver Shipyards Festival and Richmond World Festival, and has opened for Canadian groups like Bedouin Soundclash and Jon & Roy. While Cottrill’s dedication to his craft earned him the 2023 Roots Artist and 2021 Folk Artist of the Year award from the Fraser Valley Music Awards, his songwriting work with Cameron Whitcomb (American Idol) has produced viral Folk-Country videos spawning over 30 million views across Instagram & Tik Tok. His latest project “Velvet Regrets Vol.1&2” (and its accompanying short film) have been a fan favourite, selling out of all vinyl copies and hundreds of CDs since its release. Providing a taste of his upcoming album with the recent Country-Soul flavoured singles “Reno” and “Favoreau”, Ben Cottrill is heading into a new musical chapter that will surely solidify his status as a true force in the Canadian music scene.
