Xpress
PennPAT Supports
XPN, pg. 4
River Stage Line-Up
02 - 04
Marina Stage Line-Up
05 - 07
Kids Corner Line-Up
07
Program Guide
08
SUMMER FESTIVAL
2009
ISSUE
A Musi c a l Ext r a v a ga nza R e tu rn s
to the Camden Waterfront
July 24, 25 and 26
t
he 2009 XPoNential Music Festival presented
by Subaru comes to life this summer for the
fifth year in a row at Wiggins Park on the
Camden Waterfront. WXPN is proud to once again
showcase more than 40 bands on three stages for
three days at incredibly affordable prices.
Following in the footsteps of festivals past, music
fans will be treated to a mixture of national, local,
heritage and up-and-coming artists. From
Robert Cray and Shemekia Copeland opening
the Festival on Friday night to The Hold
Steady, They Might Be Giants, Guster, Aimee
Mann and Sharon Little!
There’s definitely something for everyone
including the youngests fans. Kathy O’Connell
and Kids Corner will take over the Camden
Children’s Garden on Saturday, July 25 and
Sunday, July 26 from Noon to 6:00 p.m. offering
exhibits, rides, themed gardens and family friendly
music. This year’s line-up includes The Swingset
Mamas, John Hadfield, Steve Pullara and His Cool
Beans Band and much more.
Ticket Prices:
Save yourself the hassle of standing in line. Purchase print-athome tickets online now through July 26 at XPN.org. Get Early
Bird ticket pricing through July 10. (Tickets will also be available
at the gate at the regular ticket price.)
EARLY BIRD PRICES
Through July 10
REGULAR TICKET PRICES
July 11-26
3-Day Festival Pass
WXPN Members* - $30
General Public - $40
3-Day Festival Pass
WXPN Members* - $40
General Public - $60
Daily Tickets
WXPN Members* - $12
General Public - $20
Daily Tickets
WXPN Members* - $17
General Public - $25
Kids (ages 2 – 12)
Just $5 per day (anytime)
Kids (ages 2 – 12)
Just $5 per day (anytime)
(*Maximum of 2 tickets per day at the WXPN member price)
festival
planning tips
A Bring blankets and/or
low-back chairs for seating on the
grass. (Tents, high-back chairs,
and umbrellas are not permitted.)
A Food and beverage vendors will
be on hand, providing a wide
range of festival food and drink
options. No bottles or cans are
allowed.
A Bring your own beverage
container for the Members Only
area to help our “Going Green”
initiative.
A Bring this issue of the Xpress
for autographs.
WXPN continues its commitment to being
environmentally responsible. The “Going
Green” efforts that were put into place
last year will be back again this year. This
includes providing a comprehensive onsite recycling program, requiring food
vendors and artist caterers to use
biodegradable products for plates, cups,
etc., encouraging members to bring their
own beverage containers for the
Members-Only area, just to name a few.
A complete list can be found online.
It’s going to be another beautiful musicfilled summer weekend on the river, so
bring your friends and family to Wiggins
Park July 24 – 26. Check out 40+ bands
for less than you would spend on a single
concert. Get your tickets now at XPN.org
or by calling 215-222-1400.
A Leave the audio and video
recording devices at home –
they’re prohibited. Nonprofessional personal-use
cameras are allowed.
A There’s so much to do you may
want to stay overnight and make
a weekend of it. A list of area
hotels is available at XPN.org.
A Specially designated parking lots
close to the park will be open and
available at special festival prices.
A Plan to visit the Crafts Village
where a wide array of regional
crafters will have their wares for
sale, AND the Festival Shop
where you can pick up a limited
edition commemorative festival
poster, festival tees, artists CDs
and other merchandise.
It’s all about the music
1
Camden County
River Stage
WXPN IS THE MEMBER-SUPPORTED,
NON-COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, SERVING
THE PHILADELPHIA, BALTIMORE-WORTON,
HARRISBURG, LANCASTER, YORK
AND ALLENTOWN AREAS.
WXPN Staff
General Manager | Roger LaMay
Associate General Manager, Marketing and
Development | Quyen Shanahan
Assistant General Manager
for Business Affairs | Esperanza Flury
Financial Analyst | Kenneth Sambucci
Assistant General Manager
for Programming | Bruce Warren
Assistant Program Director and Midday Host | Helen Leicht
Music Director / Operations Manager
and Afternoon Host | Dan Reed
Assistant Music Director | Mike Vasilikos
World Cafe Host and Co-Producer | David Dye
Senior Content Producer | Tracey Tanenbaum
World Cafe Senior Producer | Kim Junod
World Cafe Production Director | Chris Williams
Line Producer | Beth Warshaw-Duncan
Production Assistant | Lauren Roccia
World Cafe and XPN Programming Assistant | Ellen Oplinger
XPN Morning Show Host | Michaela Majoun
News and Public Affairs Producer | Bob Bumbera
Kids Corner Producer and Host | Kathy O’Connell
Kids Corner Producer | Robert Drake
Kids Corner On-Air Guests | Dr. Lisa Chirlian,
Dr. Mindy Cohan, Joe Hilton, Jane Kirkland,
Derrick Pitts, Mike Weilbacher
Sleepy Hollow Hosts | Chuck Elliott, Keith Brand, Samantha Sullivan
Star’s End Host | Chuck van Zyl
Amazon Country Host | Debra D’Alessandro
Q’zine Host and Producer | Robert Drake
Folk Show Host | Gene Shay
Blues Show Host / Operations Systems Manager | Jonny Meister
Production Assistant / Part Time Host | Dan Gutierrez
Technical Director | Jared Styles
Broadcast Engineer | Andrew Davis
Director of Marketing | Kim Winnick
Marketing Manager | Debby Seitz
Special Events Producer | Paul Severin
Volunteer Coordinator | Betsy Feil
Marketing & Membership Coordinator | Ken Mueller
Director of Individual Giving | Debra Ashmore
Major Gifts Director | Jessica Lynch
Director of Philanthropic Giving | Moira Mulroney
Fundraising Operations Manager | Kathleen Wigger
Member Benefits Coordinator | Sarah James
Corporate Business Support Director | Mike Daly
Business Support Representatives | Wes Bower, Ali Castellini,
Lyn Finnerty, Janis Martin-Hughes, Larry Rayborn, Patti G. Singer
Traffic Manager | Erica Zito
Traffic Coordinator | Amanda Dollar
Director, Non Broadcast Distribution | John Bartol
Web Producer | Regina Griffin
Web Developer | Brian Divver, Cathleen Heard
Staff Assistant / Office Manager | Tess Coffey
Finance & Development Coordinator | Paula Rogers
Member Communications Associate | Elizabeth Scott
Member Services Assistant | Richella Grimsley,
Y-Rock On XPN Staff
Operations Manager | Josh T. Landow
Music Director | Joey O.
Xpress Design | Gecko Group, Inc.
Xpress Production | Garrison Printing Company, Inc.
WXPN
3025 Walnut Street
Philadelphia PA 19104
Business Office | 215-898-6677
Requests | 215-573-WXPN
Member Line | 800-565-WXPN
Kids Corner Call-in | 800-KIDS-XPN
E-mail | [email protected]
www.xpn.org
WXPN Policy Board
Chair | Sherrill Neff
Members | Mark Alderman, Ted Aronson, Larry Ceisler,
Katonah Coster, Kim (Kenneth) Day, Lori Doyle,
Stephen Hoch, Rob Hyman, Thomas Kline, Esq.,
Roger LaMay, Wendy Owen, John Rollins, Ralph Rosen,
Dr. Marie A. Savard, David Thornburgh,
Emily Thorson, Brian Tierney, Wendy White
Friday, July 24
Saturday, July 25
u Robert Cray
u The Hold Steady
u Shemekia Copeland
u They Might
Be Giants
u Annuals
u Pete Yorn
u Los Straitjackets
u The Bacon Brothers
u Matt Duke
u Yeasayer
u Steve Wynn &
the Miracle 3
u Sharon Little
Sunday, July 26
u Guster
u Peter Bjorn And John
u Aimee Mann
Los
Straightjackets
Instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets
has been rocking out to the sounds of
and the English UK
the surf for over two decades since its
u Steve Forbert and
inception in 1988 as a trio called The
the Windfall Prophets
Straitjackets. After a long hiatus, the
u Donna the Buffalo
group reformed under its current name
u Andrew Lipke
and added a bassist to the lineup.
and the Prospects
The masked performers have since
earned a national
Robert Cray
reputation for their
Five-time Grammy winner and
energetic performrevered blues performer, Robert
ances of MexicanCray has been hailed as one of
twanged surf rock
the best singer-songwriters and
through a series
guitarists of his genre for years,
of successful nationand as his nearly four decades
al tours, several
of work attest, he deserves
Christmas stints on
the praise. Inspired by the perNBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and eleven studio
formance of blues legend Albert Collins at his high school
albums. Their latest release is this year’s The Further
graduation, Cray started his first band in 1974 and won his
Adventures of Los Straitjackets.
first Grammy a decade later with 1986’s Strong Persuader.
Hometown: Nashville, TN
In the decades since he has continued to experiment with
Recent Release: The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets
blues and soul to produce album after album of exciting
Notes: The band’s Mexican wrestling masks are personalmaterial, most recently 2009’s Live From Across the Pond.
ized for each band member.
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Recent Release: Live From Across the Pond
Matt Duke
Notes: Cray performed an un-credited role as the bassist in
At the burgeoning age
Animal House’s frat party band, Otis Day & the Knights.
of 24, singer-songwriter
Matt Duke has already
Shemekia
enjoyed his share of
admirable musical experiCopeland
ences. With two albums
A critics’ favorite, Grammy-nominated
under his belt, Duke has
Shemekia Copeland firmly rejects the
shared the stage with songwriters like Rachael Yamagata
notion of limiting herself to a single
and Matt Nathanson. In 2008, Duke traveled to L.A. to 2
genre. Daughter of blues guitar legrecord with esteemed producer Marshall Altman for his
end Johnny Clyde Copeland, the
latest album, Kingdom Underground. Songs from Kingdom
young star is already well established
Underground have been featured on AOL Music and on
at the front of today’s generation of
Lifetime’s Army Wives. Most recently, Duke has been selected
blues singers, yet her latest release –
as an artist to watch on Clear Channel’s NEW! program.
2009’s Never Going Back – affirms her place as an innovative
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
leader of the group, pushing the walls of the genre to include
Recent Release: Kingdom Underground
inspiration from outside the usual sources while always
Notes: The Philadelphia-based Duke is a self-taught
remaining loyal to its roots. The album is her fifth release
guitarist.
since her 1999 debut, Turn the Heat Up!, released when she
was only nineteen.
The Hold
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Recent Release: Never Going Back
Steady
Notes: Copeland performed for WXPN’s Five Year Anniversary
When the members of The
Celebration of the Free At Noon concert series in March 2009.
Hold Steady first decided to
start a band in 2002, their
Annuals
expectations were low: no
Indie-pop six-piece Annuals first
tours, just some local shows
made waves in 2006 with their
– and probably no records.
debut LP, Be He Me. The debut
But things don’t always
received critical acclaim and
work out the way they’re planned, and seven years later the
was heralded by the music blofive-piece is now one of the most respected and popular rock
gosphere, setting the stage for
bands in the country. After 2006’s Boys and Girls in America
their 2008 release, Such Fun, to
established the group as a critic and fan favorite for their
cement their place among their
Springsteen-like take on Replacements-era punk, the band
indie-rock peers. Though the band is often compared to such
released 2008’s Stay Positive, a sophisticated growth from
giants as Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene, their pop
Boys and Girls channeling Zeppelin-style classic rock. The
sensitivities offer a sweet touch that sets them apart from
album serves as proof that The Hold Steady will stand as one
their contemporaries and lends a charming aesthetic to their
of America’s foremost rock bands of the decade.
live shows, known for being very intense and experiential.
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Recent Release: Stay Positive
Recent Release: Such Fun
Notes: The band performed at the 2008 Non-COMMvention
Notes: Annuals were the XPN Artist To Watch for November
at WXPN and appeared on World Cafe® in January, 2007.
2008 and performed a Free At Noon concert in January, 2009.
u John Wesley Harding
They Might Be Giants
Two-time Grammy winning band, They Might
Be Giants, has achieved great success in the
twenty-plus years since its inception –
perhaps most notably for the variety of ways
it has done so. In addition to earning a
reputation for their unconventional approach
to alternative music, the duo penned the
theme songs to such popular television
shows as The Daily Show, Malcolm in the
Middle, and Dexter’s Laboratory, and
produced several acclaimed children’s
albums including the 2009 Grammy-winning
Here Come the 123s. In 2007 the two Johns – John Flansburgh and John
Linnell – released The Else, their last for-adults album, to great success
and continue to entertain fans of all ages.
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Recent Release: The Else and Here Come the 123s
Notes: The two Johns first met and began writing songs together as
teenagers in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Pete Yorn
New Jersey native Pete Yorn has taken
a somewhat unusual route to success.
Shortly after graduating from Syracuse
University in 2000, he moved to Los
Angeles and began scoring films and
television while slowly building a following through small, local performances.
Within the year he’d landed the job of
scoring The Farrely Brother’s Me, Myself,
& Irene. The film’s success proved to be
Yorn’s breakthrough, and with his song “Strange Conditions” appearing
in the film, he suddenly found himself an audience eager for more of his
earnest and hopeful take on alternative pop/rock. In the decade since,
Yorn has proved himself a talent to be reckoned with, mastering multiple
instruments, touring the world, and releasing four studio albums. His latest, Back and Forth, is released in June.
Hometown: Montville, NJ
Recent Release: Back and Forth
Notes: The drummer turned singer-songwriter landed his record deal
after an impromptu performance of his song, “Life on a Chain” for a
Columbia A&R rep; Performed a Free At Noon concert August 2006.
The Bacon
Brothers
Long before Kevin Bacon became
a movie star and pop culture phenomenon, and before his older
brother Michael became a soughtafter film and TV composer, the
Philadelphia-based duo was collaborating under the name The
Bacon Brothers. The duo has been
writing music as a team since
childhood, though they didn’t begin working together formally until 1995.
After Michael established his music career with Columbia Records in the
60s and released several solo albums on CBS Records in the 70s, he
turned to collaborating with Kevin, and the chemistry was immediately
evident in their rootsy rock ‘n roll songs and live performances. The duo
released their sixth full-length album, New Year’s Day, last November,
incorporating jazzy blues and reggae into their established sound, a blend
of alt-country, folk, blues and Americana elements.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Recent Release: New Year’s Day
Notes: The Brothers performed for a sold-out crowd at their May WXPN
Free At Noon concert.
Yeasayer
Self-described as Middle Eastern-psych-snapgospel, Yeasayer broke into mainstream consciousness after their debut at the 2007 SXSW
festival. With funky beats, layers of synth, and
plenty of flair, Yeasayer is often compared to
other indie rockers TV on the Radio, Grizzly
Bear, and Animal Collective. Yet the Brooklyn
foursome’s international style demonstrates a
wide shift into not-just-Western genres, giving them an accessible and
fascinating feel. Their debut album, All Hour Cymbals, was released in 2007 to
critical acclaim, and they returned to the studio at the beginning of 2009
to begin work on their sophomore album. The quartet recently announced a
massive U.S. tour for the autumn.
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Recent Release: All Hour Symbols
Notes: Yeasayer world-toured with MGMT and Man Man in spring 2008.
Steve Wynn
& the Miracle 3
Prolific singer-songwriter Steve Wynn began his
career as the leader of 80s alternative rock group
Dream Syndicate, but in the two decades since, his
solo work has established him as an artist
dedicated to creating exceptional music. His latest
release, 2008’s Crossing Dragon Bridge, was
inspired by and recorded in the Slovenian city of
Ljubljana, where he crossed Dragon Bridge every day on his way to the studio.
The album, on which Wynn plays most of the instruments, is (as he describes it)
unlike any album in his past, a unique window into a special moment in time.
Hometown: New York, NY
Recent Release: Crossing Dragon Bridge
Notes: Wynn joined Stephen McCarthy (The Long Ryders) and Bryan Harvey and
Johnny Hott (House of Freaks) to form the 90s indie supergroup, Gutterball.
Sharon Little
As WXPN’s Artist to Watch for February 2009,
Little’s latest release, Perfect Time for a
Breakdown, received impressive critiques across
the country. In the last year alone, she’s opened
for the legendary Robert Plant and Alison
Krauss, Al Green, Chris Isaak, and Jonny Lang.
In addition, her music has been featured on
multiple television shows (CSI: NY, NCIS, and
NUMB3RS), and she was a guest on World
Cafe® with David Dye. Currently, Little is in the
studio working on a new album.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Recent Release: Perfect Time for a Breakdown
Notes: Little’s mom recalls the songstress humming songs even before she
could speak.
Guster
Started in 1991 while the band attended Tufts University, Guster entered
the mainstream with 1999’s Lost and
Gone Forever, their third studio
album, whose single “Fa Fa” broke
the Adult Top 40. Though they’ve
repeated the feat several times since,
their success has come from the
ground up, driven by their intensely
passionate fans and the band’s dedication to them. Known for their vocal
harmonies and instrumentation, the
band’s live shows have a deserved reputation for being extremely entertaining
and humorous.
Hometown: Boston, MA
Recent Release: Satellite EP
Notes: Guitarist and vocalist Adam Gardner and his wife, Lauren Sullivan,
co-founded Reverb, a non-profit organization that helps touring musicians to
promote environmental sustainability.
3
Peter Bjorn And John
Peter Bjorn And John hit it big in the States in
2007 when the single “Young Folks” took the
American indie music community by storm,
claiming the #4 spot on XPN’s Year In Review: Top
100 Songs. But the hit was long in the making,
marking the trio’s eighth year together and the
beginning of their international success. Since,
the band has toured the world and released two
more albums: 2008’s Seaside Rock and this year’s
Living Thing. Building on their efforts to produce
great melodies, unique drum patterns, and complicated chord progressions, the
group continues to evolve and grow as one of the best Swedish exports of late.
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Recent Release: Living Thing
Notes: The band members were inspired by the group Peter, Paul and Mary to
name the band with the members’ first names.
Aimee Mann
For over two decades, Grammy and Oscar
nominee Aimee Mann has dedicated her life to
her craft. From her mid-80s stint with popular
group ‘Til Tuesday to her acclaimed solo work
of the 90s and 2000s, Mann has earned her
rightful place at the forefront of American singersongwriters. Known for her dry wit and clever take
on emotional sabotage, Mann has enjoyed a
dedicated following and critical praise for years.
Her soundtrack to the 1999 film Magnolia delivered her popular success. Her
latest album is @#%&*! Smilers, released in the summer of 2008.
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Recent Release: @#%&*! Smilers
Notes: Mann started up her own independent label, SuperEgo Records.
John Wesley Harding
and the English UK
Singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding may take his
stage name from a Dylan album, but he’s no mere
replicate of his namesake’s sound. Since leaving his
Ph.D. studies at Cambridge University for a music
career in 1988, the British-born musician (whose real
name is Wesley Stace) has released over ten albums
drawing from a wide assortment of influences.
Sharing the stage with such legends as Lou Reed,
Robyn Hitchcock, Joan Baez, and Bruce Springsteen –
with whom he recorded a duet for his album Awake –
he’s amassed a loyal cult following across international borders who anxiously awaited his 2009
release Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, his
first rock album in five years.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Recent Release: Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead
Notes: Stace is also an international best-selling author of two books:
Misfortune and by George.
Steve Forbert and the
Windfall Prophets
With a superb track record stretching back three
decades, Steve Forbert has fashioned a niche for
himself within the folk genre. His records offer
incredibly thoughtful songs that are lushly
orchestrated and cleanly produced — an organicsounding combination that is rare in contemporary
music today. His lyrical intelligence and vocal timbre
have garnered him comparisons to Bob Dylan since
the beginning of his career, but make no mistake,
Steve’s unique sound and energy are all his own. Since his breakthrough
sophomore album Jackrabbit Slim in 1979 that featured the hit “Romeo’s Tune,”
Forbert has enjoyed both critical praise and, more importantly, a devoted host of
fans. His newest release is The Place and the Time.
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Recent Release: The Place and the Time
Notes: Forbert has a cameo appearance in Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have
Fun” video, playing her boyfriend; played WXPN Free At Noon in June, 2007.
Donna the Buffalo
Originally intended to be “Dawn of the
Buffalo,” folk-rock jam band Donna the Buffalo
inherited their name from an inebriated MC
who slurred the introduction to their first live
performance. The name stuck, and two
decades later the group has gathered an
intensely loyal following around them,
appropriately called The Herd. The band plays
a mix of covers and originals, and their music
is known for often being political in nature,
while their sound travels across several genres including zydeco, reggae, and
bluegrass.
Hometown: Trumansburg, NY
Recent Release: Silverlined
Notes: In 2003, more than 850 fans joined the band for a weeklong Caribbean
cruise to raise money for The Herd’s charity, Side to Side Charities.
Andrew Lipke &
The Prospects
Born in South Africa, Andrew Lipke has
literally and figuratively come a long way
to where his music thrives today. After
moving to the U.S. in 1987, Lipke eventually migrated to Philly to pursue a career
in music composition at The University of
the Arts. Having always played music
(he started piano at the tender age of five), Lipke has played in multiple bands,
one being Philly fan-favorite, Metagroove. In 2008, Lipke was chosen by WXPN
as one of seven local artists to be featured in the WXPN and Minneapolis Music
Exchange, where his music was featured prominently on both radio stations.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Recent Release: Motherpearl and Dynamite
Notes: Lipke is featured on XPN Local Volume 2, WXPN’s second compilation of
local artists’ music.
{Business Support} PROFILE:
Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT)
Y
ou probably would recognize many of the
musicians’ names who are on the PennPat
roster, as well as many of the theater and
dance companies. They’re well known to XPN
listeners and arts lovers. For more than 10 years,
Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT) has
been increasing touring opportunities for
Pennsylvania’s finest performing artists by directly
funding artists and their touring fees.
PennPAT’s current roster includes 150+ performing
artists from across the state. The program has granted more than $6 million to support touring engage-
ments with these artists, and more than $1 million
has been granted directly to the artists for projects
that enhance their ability to tour and market themselves.
Like WXPN and its listeners, PennPAT shares the mission of sustaining the arts and artists. As a station
listener, you identify with XPN’s programming, attend
concerts, buy merchandise, and of course, become
XPN members. Your engagement supports the station and the many artists it serves.
PennPAT’s multi-tiered approach includes grants to
presenting organizations, grants to artists, profes-
sional development workshops and consultations,
printed and online marketing support, and presence
at state, regional and national booking conferences.
PennPAT Director Katie West said, “PennPAT provides
financial support as well as relevant, timely services
for the roster artists, helping them connect with new
audiences and make a living doing what they were
born to do.”
A complete list of roster artists is available, with links
to the artists’ websites, by visiting www.pennpat.org.
For more information about PennPAT, visit the website or call 215-496-9424.
4
JerseyArts.com
Marina Stage
Friday, July 24
Saturday, July 25 Sunday, July 26
u Terri Hendrix
u Hoots and Hellmouth
u The Revelations featuring
Tre’ Williams
u Sarah Borges and
u The Low Anthem
u Gandalf Murphy and the
the Broken Singles
u John Gorka
Slambovian Circus of
u Good Old War
u Katie Herzig
Dreams
u Farewell Flight
u Illinois
u Serena Ryder
u Minas
u The Peace Creeps
u Wreckless Eric &
u Tom Hamilton’s
Amy Rigby
American Babies
u Perkasie
u Like a Fox
u Gillian Grassie
Terri Hendrix
Receiving guitar lessons in return for her work on a goat
farm near the Texas town of San Marcos, Terri Hendrix
built her career from the ground up, facilitated through
an ethos of simple, person-to-person interaction and
community building. With nine albums behind her – most financed through an
e-commerce store she and her supporters organized – Terri continues to astonish
listeners with her memorable songs, divine voice, and an intelligence that is positive
but not naïve, clever but never cynical. As Harp Magazine rightly puts it, “Anyone
with a heart is hooked.” Her most recent album, Left Over Alls, is a collection of
unreleased songs that span her entire career and was released in 2008.
Hometown: San Marcos, TX
Recent Release: Left Over Alls
Notes: Terri trained as an operatic singer on a scholarship.
Sarah Borges and the
Broken Singles
Performing a genre self-described as
“Cambridge no-wave hardhonk” with tongue
perhaps only partially in cheek, Sarah Borges
is no stranger to genre-bending in her
dramatically inclusive songwriting. From
rockabilly to punk, Americana to pop, she and
her band, The Broken Singles, effortlessly flip
through chapters of the American songbook. Already garnering critical acclaim
and surrounded by a loyal fan base, the group nevertheless continues to
challenge both themselves and their audiences musically. Borges’ latest release,
The Stars Are Out, offers more straightforward rock than the work found on
previous albums and was released in March 2009 on Sugar Hill Records.
Hometown: Taunton, MA
Recent Release: The Stars Are Out
Notes: Borges majored in musical theatre at Emerson College
Good Old War
Good Old War are a Langhorne, PA-based trio
comprised of former Days Away members Keith
Goodwin and Tim Arnold and Unlikely Cowboy’s
Daniel Schwartz. The dynamic trio retains the
intimate storytelling nature of folk-song structure, with heavy use of three part harmony and
lyrics cleverly laid out on their debut album, Only
Way To Be Alone. Their music is for those who
desire an emotive, lyrical experience without
having to wade through pretentious or unnecessary musical gimmicks to get it.
Hometown: Langhorne, PA
Recent Release: Only Way To Be Alone
Notes: The bands name comes from the members’ three last names – “Good” of
Goodwin, “Old” of Arnold, and “War” from Schwartz.
Farewell Flight
Harrisburg based indie-group Farewell
Flight has been declared by fans and critics alike as one of the hardest working
acts in PA. In 2008, the band independently released their debut album,
Sound.Color.Motion., and has been touring relentlessly from coast to coast in support of it. The band’s tight musicianship is evident in their live shows, where these
four talented guys pour their hearts into their music. Currently, Farewell Flight
continues to tour and is working on a new album slated for a late 2009 release.
Hometown: Harrisburg, PA
Recent Release: Sound.Color.Motion.
Notes: Farewell Flight home-recorded their EPs in the apartment of frontman Luke Foley.
Minas
Philadelphia-based Brazilian band Minas began
over thirty years ago at the North Carolina School
of the Arts. There, Orlando Haddad and Patricia
King met and set out to bring Brazilian music to
stateside audiences, and three decades later
they’re one of the most sought after Brazilian
bands in the US. Performing in many incarnations,
ranging from the duo of Haddad and King (the
core of every performance) to large ensembles to orchestral arrangements, Minas has
earned a well-deserved reputation for their spirited and vitalizing live act.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Recent Release: In Rio
Notes: Minas is on the roster of PennPAT – Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour – an
organization which supports a roster of rigorously screened touring artists.
Hoots & Hellmouth
Sean Hoots and Andrew “Hellmouth” Gray became
a partnership in early 2005. joining forces with Rob
Berliner on mandolin to form their own brand of
“bleeding soul.” The band takes its cues from
mountain musicians like Roscoe Holcomb and Doc
Watson, integrated with a dynamic gospel sound
reminiscent of artists like Rev. Gary Davis. The wild
intensity of their live performances caught the attention of both audiences and critics.
Regarding the group’s talent and potential, the editors of Paste magazine wrote, “Hoots
& Hellmouth have things going for them that most deliberate bands only dream of.” They
will head out in the fall on a “harvest tour” of community-supported agricultural farms.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Recent Release: The Holy Open Secret
Notes: WXPN Artist To Watch in July, 2007.
The Low Anthem
A painter, a baseball scholar, and a NASA
technician, the three multi-instrumentalists that
5
comprise The Low Anthem find common ground
in the gorgeous music they create, drawing from
both classical and folk forms and communicating
haunting and sentimental narratives of love, history, and
science. Ben Knox Miller and Jeff Prystowsky formed the
group while attending Brown University, and were later
joined by fellow student and classical musician Jocie Adams. After being rabidly pursued by
numerous labels, the group signed with Nonesuch. Their latest album is Oh My God, Charlie
Darwin, and they toured this spring with both Ray LaMontagne and Elvis Perkins in Dearland.
Hometown: Providence, RI
Recent Release: Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Notes: XPN Artist To Watch in 2007
December, 2008; played WXPN Free
At Noon in December, 2008.
John Gorka
While he was studying history and philosophy at Moravian
College, music pulled John Gorka into a more exciting world.
Before long, he was networking with Canadian troubadours Eric
Andersen and Claudia Schmidt (among others) and immersed in
the New York City folk scene. With motivation from Nanci Griffith,
the New Jersey native won the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk
Competition in 1984 and followed with his debut release three
years later. Today, artists he once looked up to, such as Maura
O’Connell and Mary Chapin Carpenter, perform and record his
songs while his co-touring resume consists of musical greats
like Carpenter and Griffith. His 2006 album, Writing in the
Margins, was followed by a DVD, The Gypsy Life, in 2007.
Hometown: Marine on Saint Croix, Minnesota
Recent Release: Writing in the Margins
Notes: Gorka missed his scheduled performance at
the 2008 Festival due to a delayed plane;
played WXPN Free At Noon in October, 2006.
Marina Stage schedule continues on page 6
Katie Herzig
Katie Herzig’s musical progression, from her initial role as the drummer
and back-up singer in now-defunct Newcomers Home to her current
prominence among the most promising independent singer-songwriters
of her generation, traces a trajectory of uninhibited artistic potential.
After the release of her second solo album—the self-produced gem
Weightless, which she composed in her bedroom—Katie moved to
Nashville and quickly became a standout in the local indie music scene
with her brightly textured acoustic pop that’s both genuinely sweet and incredibly intelligent. A testament not only to her music’s widespread appeal, but also to its ability to
convey particularly affecting emotion, Katie’s music has been featured in television
shows such as Smallville and Grey’s Anatomy, and in films such as X’s & O’s and The
Secret Lives of Bees.
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Notes: Herzig began playing music after her
Recent Release: Apple Tree
father gave her an acoustic guitar while she was
a senior in high school.
Illinois
Illinois lives in Pennsylvania – that is, the band does. The fourpiece doesn’t seem to mind the geographical confusion their
name causes, but that’s mainly because they’re having too
much fun to be too concerned. Bucks County’s finest indierockers exude a good time wherever they go, genuinely
enjoying the ride their music has taken them on since their
2007 release, What the Hell Do I Know?, earned them national
airplay and spots at major festivals like Lollapalooza and SXSW. Since, the band has
released a single and the six-chapter series The Adventures of Kid Catastrophe, which
follows lead singer Chris Archibald’s disillusioned alter ego through life – both with music
and accompanying short films.
Hometown: Bucks County, PA
Notes: The band has toured with such
Recent Release: The Adventures of
acts as The Hold Steady and The Kooks;
Kid Catastrophe
played WXPN Free At Noon in April, 2007
The Revelations featuring
Tre’ Williams
At the head of the ’60s and ’70s soul revival is a six-man
collective of hip-hop, funk, and gritty soul influences - The
Revelations featuring Tre’ Williams. Their music consolidates
images of the bluesy South with the gritty streets of the city
into one passionate, contemporary view of life. Tre’ Williams, the raw-baritone leader of
the group, sounds like something of a modern-day Otis Redding with his church choir and
R&B background, while he and his five bandmates have worked with such names as Mary
J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq, Kanye West, Petey Pablo and Nas. Their debut EP has been
praised for its daring hybrid style and its pure soul.
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Notes: Frontman Tre’ Williams has a
Recent Release: Deep Soul
four-octave range.
Gandalf Murphy and the
Slambovian Circus of Dreams
Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams is
one of those few bands that can be utterly distinct and
endearingly familiar at the same time. With a sound
imagined by one critic as “if David Bowie recorded
‘Hunky Dory’ with the Band in the basement of Big
Pink,” the group blends the psychedelic atmospherics of King Crimson and Pink Floyd
with songwriting reminiscent of folk legends like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. With a passionate fan base that’s willing to follow the group for hundreds of miles, the band
is renowned for their live shows and thrilling performances. Their latest studio album,
The Great Unravel, was released in August 2008.
Hometown: Sleepy Hollow, NY
Notes: Joziah Longo and Tink Lloyd met drummer
Recent Release: The Great Unravel Tony Zuzulo while taking courses in computer graphic design and video production at the Westchester
Arts Workshop, where he was their instructor.
Serena Ryder
East Hundred
Indie-rock band East Hundred began in 2004 when
brothers Brooke and Will Blair invited Brooke’s thengirlfriend Beril Guceri to start a recording project.
After two EP’s, the trio welcomed Dave Sunderland
(bass) and Susan Gager (keys) to solidify the sound
and began to tour regionally. Brian McTear (Philly
based Miner Street Studios) produced and recorded the new songs on Passenger, the
bands first full length album. They officially released Passenger on iTunes in February
2009.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Notes: The band celebrated Passenger with a
Recent Release: Passenger
sold-out CD Release showat Johnny Brenda’s in
Fishtown.
The Peace Creeps
Rock group The Peace Creeps is fronted by Richard
Bush, former lead singer of 80’s band The A’s. Having
dealt with record label problems, Bush moved onward
and upward to rebuild his career. He sequestered
himself in a woodshed with only his guitar as company
and a new writing partner. With the help of guitarist
John Marchiano, drummer Bruce Rogers and the bass and zeetar stylings of Michael
Vogelman, the Peace Creeps were born. The Peace Creeps feature a heady mix of Elvis
Costello-like wit, Faces-like looseness and the wide open pop sensibilities of the Beatles.
In 2006, the group released their debut, entitled Autumn of Love.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Notes: The group records in Richard Bush’s
Recent Release: Autumn Of Love home studio, which he built in his living room
after acquiring a load of vintage instruments
and some knowledge of ProTools.
Tom Hamilton’s
American Babies
Tom Hamilton is still only in his mid-20’s but is being
praised for possessing the talent of songwriters twice
his age. Hamilton joined forces with Brooklyn based
musicians, guitarist Scott Metzger, bassist Jim Hamilton,
vibraphone virtuoso Kevin Kendrick, and the highly
praised drummer Joe Russo. With a less is more approach to their songs, American
Babies released their self-titled full-length album in 2007. They are currently at work on
their sophomore release, which will be released this fall.
Hometown: Bucks County, PA
Notes: Tom Hamilton is also a member of the
Recent Release: American Babies band Brothers Past
Cutting her first independent release at fifteen years of age,
Serena Ryder was establishing a music career while most of her
peers were just starting to find social niches in high school.
Within the next ten years, Ryder would sign to a major label,
release three albums, share stages with Steve Earle, Cheap Trick,
and Aerosmith, and pick up two Juno Awards – one for New Artist
of the Year in 2008 and another for Adult Alternative Album
of the Year in 2009. Her powerful three-octave vocal range drives her songs,
rolling anthems that make use of blues, country and western, and rock ‘n’ roll 6
influences all marshaled deftly into unique and intensely catchy pop tunes.
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Notes: Her third album is primarily a collection
Recent Release: Is It O.K.
of covers featuring classic songs by Canadian
songwriters, including Rick Danko and Leonard Cohen.
Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby
Considering he pioneered the British alternative music scene
alongside label mates Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe on the
ground-breaking British label Stiff Records, and she’s the
cynically witty rocker whose 1996 solo debut earned her critical
acclaim – including Spin’s “Songwriter of the Year” honor –
husband and wife Eric Goulden (aka Wreckless Eric) and Amy
Rigby certainly seem made for each other, musically-speaking. Calling to mind artists
like the Velvet Underground and Yo La Tengo, the duo create simply enchanting lo-fi
ballads that straddle the line between disaffected detachment and unabashed
sweetness. The couple’s debut album was released in the summer of 2008.
Hometown: France
Notes: Eric runs his own radio program,
Recent Release: Wreckless Eric “Wreckless Radio,” out of his home in France.
& Amy Rigby
Perkasie
Perkasie is a six-piece vaudeville folk band from
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Their unique sound is based
on saloon-style piano, rich vocal harmonies, and
trade-off lead vocals between pianist Alex Wash and
singer Kate Foust. The band also includes Dom Billett
on drums, Ben Roth on guitar, Dillon Reichel on mandolin, and Matt Kelly on
washboard; all singing, all dancing. The band is currently completing their second fulllength album, Welcome, scheduled to be released in mid July.
Hometown: Lancaster, PA
Notes: Though barely into their twenties,the
Recent Release: Perkasie
band has already earned praise as one of the
most exciting live acts emerging in the region,
with an obvious chemistry and a playfulness
which matches their music perfectly.
Like A Fox
Gillian Grassie
Like A Fox is an indie-psychedelic rock band hailing
from Philadelphia. This five-piece group is
comprised of Jay Laughlin, Jeff Scioli, Brian
Wilkinson, Pete Girgenti and Dave Grubb. Grubb
and Laughlin are formerly of the band Lenola,
which disbanded in 2002. Laughlin and Grubb
formed Like A Fox, which found its three current
members Scioli, Wilkinson, and Girgenti two years later. The band has gained
popularity quickly in the area and was noted as an Artist to Watch on TheTripWire.com.
The band’s sophomore release, Where’s My Golden Arm? is an 11-track display of
emotions, which shows the growth of the talented group.
Hometown: Philadelphia /New Jersey
Notes: Jay Laughlin, the band’s songwriter,
Recent Release: Where’s My
guitarist and vocalist, knew he wanted
Golden Arm?
to be a musician after seeing KISS in
kindergarten.
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Kids Corner
Garden Stage
The Camden Children’s Garden offers the perfect oasis for festival attendees,
providing a bit of nature and shade from the sun. The four-acre interactive
garden includes cool exhibits and rides. Kids Corner brings you great family
friendly music all day Saturday and Sunday, Jane Kirkland’s “Nature In Your
Backyard,” and of course, a chance to meet the one and only Kathy O’Connell!
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
The Swingset Mamas
Terri Hendrix
Drummers With Attitude
Jonathan Sprout
John Hadfield
Steve Pullara and His Cool
Beans Band
Lunch Money
Steven Courtney and
His Band of Friends
Miss Amy
Ham And Burger
John Hadfield
Bubboon’s Tunes
Skip Denenberg
Township middle and high schools. The dynamic
percussion group has been performing since
2000 throughout the Philadelphia area. This is a
The Swingset Mamas chance to celebrate music and our environment,
are Lizzie Swan and as Drummers with Attitude show you that what
Marlowe Bechmann, might be trash to some, is music to everyone!
two rockin moms
whose award winning
Jonathan Sprout
music has spawned an avid network of fans
Since 1972 Jonathan Sprout
including children, parents and educators.
has recorded nine albums,
Drawing from their own mom-tested wisdom,
performed nearly 6,000 conthe Mamas sing about everything under the sun,
certs and taught hundreds
packing in useful life lessons to an incredible
of songwriting workshops.
range of musical styles – from zydeco and blues
Jonathan delivers another
to rock to reggae.
rich punchy packet of diver-
The Swingset
Mamas
Terri Hendrix
A Philadelphia native and harpist/singer-songwriter, Gillian
Grassie is classically trained on the harp and vocals. While
on stage, she deftly blends a diverse range of influences
into a jazz focused indie/pop sound. Grassie has worked
with artists like John Legend and Jim Boggia, while the 22
year old and recent graduate released her first album,
Serpentine, while still attending Bryn Mawr College. Grassie
is also the recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, a
one-year grant awarded to talented college seniors to travel outside of the U.S. The
Fellowship will take Grassie to India, Germany, France, Japan, and China, to name a few.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Notes: Gillian started to work seriously on her music
Recent Release: Serpentine while living abroad in Switzerland during her
sophomore year of high school.
sified heroes with his latest CD, American
Heroes #3 - including Wilma Rudolph, George
Washington Carver, Cesar Chavez, John Muir
and Pocahontas to name just a few. The songs
are hip and happening - finely produced and performed tributes to some brilliant folks who have
left a strong imprint on our society.
Terri Hendrix is one
of the most strikingly
original singer-songwriters working today,
as befits an artist who
cites the varied likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Lightnin’
Hopkins, Sonny Terry, John Prine, and the British
John Hadfield
techno-country-blues ensemble Alabama 3
John Hadfield, most
among her biggest influences. Hendrix has covfamous
for
his
ered every genre from folk to country to pop to
highly-requested songs
blues to Celtic to Tex-Mex to jazz to Western
“Monkeys In The House”
swing - and of course, a ROCKIN’ kids CD
and “Robot Monkey
“Celebrate The Difference,” which includes the
Head,” has been perKids Corner punky scream-along favorite,
forming for families for
“Nerves”!
years! John also spends his free time competing
in dog agility with his (Akita) dog Kenny, is a
Drummers with
black belt in aikido, ski races with the
Wilmington Ski Club and owns a Robot Monkey
Attitude
Led by Kevin Travers, Head - the title of his latest CD!
Drummers with Attitude is a diverse group of
student drummers and dancers from Bristol
asdfghjsd
engaging imagination to foster basic fitness. So,
bring Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and your
best friends to run, jump, roar, waddle, swim
There is something about and play with Miss Amy Kids Fitness Rock & Roll
a Steve Pullara show that - a perfect chance to get the whole family
connects with kids in a moving during this summer Sunday afternoon!
special way. Maybe it’s the
infectious joy in his performance.
Ham And Burger
Maybe it’s the way he brings together music and
The NYC duo of Ham,
art and kids. Maybe it’s the good feeling he
an enthusiastic pig,
gives their parents. No matter what it is, you can
and Burger, a cow with
be sure that Steve Pullara & His Cool Beans
a voice reminiscent of
Band are always a friendly, fun experience for
Elvis, deliver some
the entire family!
inspired hip-hop for
all ages. There are
Lunch Money
plenty of original takes on old standards such
In the late 90’s, an almost as “Hokey Pokey” and the performance is pure
comically morose indie pop silliness, complete with hidden life lessons!
group called The Verna Cannon Welcome them to the Kids Corner Garden Stage
once performed for an for their first time!
audience of 7-year olds.
Surprised and a little perplexed
Bubboon's 7
by the rather melancholy
Tunes
concert, one little boy earnestly
remarked, “Your music makes me sleepy.” And
Bubboon &
while the band got many an appreciative chuckle
Bubbles are offiover the comment, singer/guitarist Molly
cially known as
Ledford also walked away thinking she would
‘Bubboon’s Tunes’.
like to play for children again with a new band
In real life they are
project directed at a younger audience. In 2003,
the creative team
Molly formed Lunch Money, which delivers a of Bill and Jennifer Winegardner, who write,
high-energy show that aims to get children and record, and perform their own music, including
their parents dancing, thinking and laughing.
the Kids Corner classic tune “The Cheese
Song”! Their voices are comedic, exaggerated,
Steven Courtney and over the top, which serves the content of
the songs perfectly. All of their songs - including
and His Band
their latest hit “Worm Collection” - are truly
foolish, completely goofy, and kids (and adults)
of Friends
Steven Courtney is a will find them vastly entertaining!
performing songwriter
who has experienced top
Skip Denenberg
notch success. In a span of fifteen years, Steven
With styles ranging
has performed over 4,000 concerts, recorded 20
from country to
full-length albums, produced three concertpop and rock to
length performance videos AND an award
children’s music,
winning Children’s TV series! Courtney’s songs
Skip’s music can be
inspire imagination and positive social behavior
heard in all forms.
with a superabundance of creativity added!
Phillies fans know
Steve Pullara & His
Cool Beans Band
Miss Amy
Miss Amy is on a mission
to teach kids about being
fit! As a certified fitness
instructor, an acclaimed
singer/songwriter with a
collection of motivating CDs,
and a mom, her programs
appeal to families by
Skip Denenberg from his moving tribute to
Veterans Stadium, “Concrete and Steel.” Skip
added to his Phillies resume by giving The
Phillie Phanatic his very own song, “A Little Bit
Phanatic.” Most recently, Skip has embraced
Harry Potter in the Kids Corner mega-hit “Teach
Me Your Magic.”
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{ 2009 XPoNential Music Festival
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Earthsongs
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Public Access
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Echoes
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1am
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High In The 70s
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On XPN
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Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow
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