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02/07 Sunday
2:00 PM Birdsong At Morning
plays what Daniel Gewertz of the Boston Herald describes as "art music both unpretentious and ravishing." The core trio of Alan Williams, Darleen Wilson and Greg Porter will be joined by drummer Billy MacGillivray playing songs from their two recordings, Bound and Heavens, as well as material from their forthcoming March release, Vigil. A very pleasant way to spend a wintery Sunday afternoon. $10 Donation
6:00 PM Gillypad
6pm notrio
nat mugavero and gill aharon
7pm TBA
The band is:
Randy Wooten - drums
Gill Aharon - piano and compositions
Jef Charland - bass
Blake Newman - bass
Andrew Stern - guitar
Alec Spiegelman - winds/horns
Rick Stone- Alto
Kelly Roberge - tenor
Eric Hofbauer - guitar
9:30pm Red Shepherd
www.redshepherd.net/
http://www.redshepherd.net/
http://www.blackroomrecords.com/
Red Shepherd Bio
In an era where green is now the contagious buzz word, Red is clearly the new green – Red Shepherd, that is; and this break-out band is anything but green. With a resonating blend of harmonies and hook-laden lyrics, this band takes no prisoners with their sophomore release, Blue Skies. Vocalist and acoustic guitarist Aaron Johnston’s layering, edgy voice, lead guitarist Matt Fox’s luminous riffs, percussionist Taylor Burgess’s smashing rhythm and bassist Rett Wood’s popping licks combine for an intelligent song collection that is noticeably energetic, intense and thought-provoking.
Having spawned from the small, Southern campus of Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee, the genesis of this band begins in 2003 with the serendipitous meeting of Aaron Johnston and Taylor Burgess at a campus-area venue. Upon hearing Aaron’s penetrating soulful style at a local coffee house gig, Taylor felt an intuitive spark and instinct told him to pursue a musical alliance with Johnston. After some subtle nagging and cajoling by Burgess, Aaron finally acquiesced to Taylor’s requests and the foundation for the band began.
Over the span of six years, Red Shepherd has managed to forge a brilliant musical partnership that has taken them beyond the limits of their sleepy college campus. Taking creative cues from bands such as Kings of Leon, The Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams, their musical acumen shines brightly on its own merit. The artists settle in to a musical balance of americana, folk and indie rock with a distinct blend of clever songwriting and jam band ethics.
Song cuts from the 2008 release of Blue Skies such as ‘Let Me Have It’ and ‘Made For Me’, reflect the band’s ability to commingle humor with real-life emotional issues offering a level of entertainment that engages fans on a personal level. Red Shepherd invests not only in the energy and vitality of their music and songwriting, but the showmanship in which it is delivered. The band reaches out to their live audience with passion derived from personal experiences infused with heel-nipping melodies. “We pour emotion into our songs. I want to perform a song you can stomp to and maybe another time you could cry to,” notes lead guitarist, Matt Fox.
Bassist Payton McCollum joined the ranks of Red Shepherd in September 2009 following Wood’s decision to leave the band to pursue other career interests. Payton, who also matriculated from liberal-arts college Freed-Hardeman, was the informal roadie who loaded, unloaded, and set up equipment and often drove the van. This pivotal moment in the band’s journey has brought a new creative flavor to the mix – a formulation that allowed the band’s chemical composition to reach a new explosive level. McCollum, considered by many to be the group’s resident comedian, describes the music of Red Shepherd as “dramatic folk-rock.” Red Shepherd plans to showcase the new textures of the quartet with the release of their third full-length album in the spring.
The band’s philosophies of compassion together with their deep commitment to social concerns are illuminated in their newest creation, ‘Beneath Our Feet.’ This thought provoking composition highlights the obligation to remain humble, listen to your conscience and always remain true to your roots. All credit their strong Christian background as the basis for their work. Aaron adds, “We don’t want to limit what God can do thru us. Every person has a blessing. Music is our blessing.” Red Shepherd’s life-affirming energy permeates their music and continues to endear indie music fans on every level. Payton sums up their hard-working ethic, “We aren’t the best band in the world but we want to be the best at what we do. We have this desperation. We’re hungry for more and we are not comfortable for a second until we achieve our goals. Complacency is not an option for us.”