GrassRoots and State Theatre Announce Season Lineup!

Ithaca's Historic State Theatre is one of our oldest and bestest friends. Seriously. GrassRoots actually started in 1990 as a benefit concert at the State, featuring Donna the Buffalo, The Horse Flies, and Neon Baptist. It was a benefit for AIDSWork, a local charity who provided support and education about HIV/AIDS. They raised around $10,000 that night, and thought a festival might be the next logical step. We stayed friends, and in the late '90s, when the State was condemned and about to be torn down, we made them one of our charitable partners, and put lots of money toward restoring it. We still stayed friends, and did an occasional GrassRoots-presented show here and there.

However, last year, we had the pleasure of co-promoting our first actual concert series with the State. We had a blast, sold enough tickets to keep ourselves encouraged, made lots of new friends, had lots of chatter and backstage beers with old ones - all in all, a rousing success. It was a given that we had to do it again this year, so we're very excited to announce the first three shows of our co-promoted season. They're reeeeally good ones, too.

On September 11, GrassRoots and the State will present the first musical show of the season, Steve Earle. Steve is saucy, political, hard-driving and obscenely talented. We can't wait to hear what he has to say or what he has to play. Joining him on the bill will be his lovely and talented wife, Allison Moorer, who is no slouch either - she's a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter who has an awesome new album called Mockingbird which you should run out and buy this very second.

Next up is Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, who'll be performing on November 1. The Dap-Kings are basically the best band in the world. Basically. Even if you haven't heard the name, you've probably heard their funk/blues stylings - they're the backing band on Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, but they're even better when they're out there with Sharon Jones. Sharon has a crazy story. She was turned away by record labels when she was a teenager because she didn't have the right "look". So she went on with her life, working "regular" jobs (if you call being a prison guard at Riker's Island regular), until she received a career break in 1996 and began recording. Her breakthrough record was 2007's 100 Days, 100 Nights, which is receiving major radio airplay throughout the country as we speak. Also, they're playing this summer at Bonnaroo and Aspen Jazz and Roskilde and Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Festival and on the Conan O'Brien Show and... you get the idea. Basically, if you haven't heard this group yet, you're about to and, unless you have no soul, you're gonna love them!

And in the early spring (April 3), The Flatlanders will be rocking the house. The Flatlanders are Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely and Butch Hancock, and they (no joke) invented "alternative country" as we know it. Jimmie Dale has actually played GrassRoots before, but it was awhile ago (1995 - I didn't even have all of my molars yet), but this is the first time he's been back through since then. Also (I wasn't supposed to mention this), he played Smokey, the "fragile" pacifist in The Big Lebowski, so I assure you that I will be insufferably quoting that movie up until the minute that show starts, because it's one of my favorites EVER! "Don't be fatuous, Jeffrey." "Obviously, you're not a golfer." "That rug really tied the room together." "No, Donny, these men are nihilists. There's nothing to be afraid of." I CAN'T STOP! So anyway. These three guys are total legends, and the show is going to be amazing.

We'll also likely add one more show to the series as the season goes on, but we're feeling pretty darn good about this lineup so far! Subscription ticket sales for the State go on sale on June 9, and individual ticket sales start on July 14 (which will be a busy week!), so write it on your calendar, and git yer GrassRoots on all year 'round! And while you're sitting there, just imagining the good times we're gonna have this summer, why not check out the State Theatre Lineup for the season... they'll add more shows as time goes on, but it's already incredible - aside from our shows, they've got Citizen Cope, Andrew Bird, David Crosby and Graham Nash, The Soweto Gospel Choir, and all sorts of other awesome stuff. It's an amazing place, and it's where we spend a great deal of time during the winter months. We're proud to be their friends!

Nation Beat Announces Animation Contest

We're excited to have the Afro-Brazilian-Americana-Tronica band Nation Beat coming to GrassRoots for the first time this year. We think they're very hip, very edgy, and they'll fit in like nobody's business here at our humble little event. They're also releasing an album, Legends of the Preacher, on July 15th, just a couple of days before the festival starts, so they will be on fire, undoubtedly. Also, they share our sense of charitable musical fundraising - 10% of their album proceeds will go to benefit Corpos Percussivos, "an organization dedicated to uplifting the underprivileged children of Recife, Brazil through music, art, education and culture." We LOVE it!!

And it gets cooler. As part of their album release, they've announced an animation contest. All the details are available at Modiba Productions, their record label. Basically, they've got fancy little cartoon characters already drawn up, and downloadable chunks of songs. All you have to do is get creative! So if you're the type who knows what's what when it comes to video animation, why not make up a little something, post it to YouTube, and see if you can't win yourself a tidy $500 (not to mention eternal flame and glory)?

If you're not the animating type, why don't you enjoy this video of the group at Galapagos (a really amazing self-sustaining art space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that you should be sure to check out as well, if you're in them there parts):



Currently Listening: The Nation Beat - Maracatuniversal

Band Bios Are Posted!

Okay, you've seen the band list, but since everyone on there isn't necessarily a household name, you might (ahem) actually want to know who some of these folks are. Fear not - the band bios are here. Get a sense for who's who, what's what and start drooling over who you can't wait to see. My personal ohmigodicantwaittosee band (if I must pick just one) is Etran Finatawa - who's yours?

Currently Listening: Etran Finatawa - "Desert Crossroads"

Plena Libre Added to Band List

We've added one more headlining artist - the unbelievably talented Plena Libre. Plena Libre is a 13-piece Afro-Latin orchestra from San Juan, Puerto Rico. They rock out on the Afro-Rican genres of bomba and plena, and have been nominated for a heap o' Grammy Awards. Have a look at this great video of them from the amazing Roskilde Festival:



... and read this interview with bandleader Gary Nuñez.

Check out the 2008 Band List!

The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived! If you haven't yet noticed, the 2008 GrassRoots Band List is posted. We're ecstatic about this year's lineup, which includes over 70 amazing bands from our area and around the world. Lucinda Williams, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Etran Finatawa.... I'm psyched, to say the least. Have a look for yourself and let us know what you think! Also, check out our snazzy new website - we think you'll find it easier to navigate and a little easier on the eyes. There'll be lots of new and fun information added frequently, so keep checking in for updates! And as always, be in touch if you have any questions of any kind - that's what we're here for!