Description: $8 adv / $10 day of show

SlapBak: F U N K "The Truth" Back in the 90's When Jara started Slapbak, everyone thought the name meant the slappin' of Jara's thumb up against his bass strings. Some even thought that it meant slappin' back against society because he never drank, smoked or tried drugs in his life. Well years later we discovered that Slapbak means none of the above, a matter of fact Slapbak isn't even a noun. It's a verb.... its an untouched force of action. This band hates hype, just like their song says "Dont Talk About It, Be About It" which means they are all about the delivery. This is the reason Slapbak hates bios or introductions before they hit the stage. The show and the music speaks for it's self. They have a undeniable sound that Jara has fine tuned over the years the he calls "Urban Crunch." This is a sound made up of Funk, Rock, Hip Hop & Alternative that is mixed up in his own special way. Here's some of the things I know for a fact. In the early 90's got signed to Warner Brothers and released their debut album "Fast Food Funkateers". This record included George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley (James Brown), Larry Blackmon (Cameo), Dawn Silva (Brides of Funkenstein). Needless to say this instantly gave Slapbak the title "The New Keeper of the Funk" by 92.3 The Beat. Their single "True Confession" had video rotation on BET and did well with radio. Since then Slapbak has produced 7 more cds. They have toured and performed with artists like Snoop Dogg, Mint Condition, George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, Bootsy Collins, Roger Troutman and Zapp, The Time, 2 Live Crew, Fishbone and Digital Underground just to name a few. Then Shock G looked up Slapbak after seeing them 8 years prior and asked Jara for Slapbak to be Digital's band as well as opening the show. Slapbak toured and record with them for a year. Shortly after that Slapbak started working with Verdine White from Earth, Wind & Fire. This has always been a stand alone band. They've toured in Europe 3 times and they're about to go back to support the release of their latest cd "Underground Mayhem." Slapbak's music has mutated quite a bit over the years and like the music has, so has the band. Some musicians that came through the Slapbak camp have gone off to play with The Time, Nikka Costa, Erukah Badu, The Gap Band, Good Charolette, Ben Harper, 112, Jordin Sparks to name a few, but the new band is the most interesting combination yet. You have African-American, Caucasion, Mexican and Japanese ages ranging from 20 - 40. This wasn't planned, this is just the pieces of the puzzle that fit. This band will make you a true believer that music is truly universal!!!!!

Sam Silva : Emerging from the musical Mecca that is Austin, Texas, Sam Sliva and The Good are fast becoming an outfit to be reckoned with. Their sophomore effort “…And the People Say” finds Sam and the gang striding a new plane of refinement and tightening of their sound. Sliva’s writing is becoming at once more expansive and focused as a vision. Elements ranging from reggae to folk are brought together and funneled through Sliva’s alternative Americana apparatus to produce a range of handsomely crafted songs that stretch boundaries yet sound at home with one another. Apart from the well-executed cover of Ryan Adams’s “Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight”, it has become more difficult to muster a list of artists that this new batch of songs share a kinship with. Already garnering thousands of fans through radio play, live shows, and social media outreach, “…And the People Say” is sure to expand that fan base and distinguish Sam Sliva & The Good as a unique and promising source of rock from the Lone Star State.

Spankie Valentine: There's a reason she's being called the "Female version of early Prince, with an addictive twist." SPANKIE is the physical manifestation of what pop / rock culture, editorial fashion, brazen performance art, and bold personality become when mashed together. As unique visually as she is musically, SPANKIE Valentine is driven with a rare passion for performance, capt ivating audiences with her elaborate and expressive creativity. It’s not often these days a pop artist makes a name for herself the old fashioned way through paying dues, self-development, and self-promotion. SPANKIE has seen her fair share of hole-in-the-wall bar gigs, shady club owners, seedy industry personnel, and broken promises. She didn’t get her start through having famous parents, winning a reality contest, or being a feature on a pre-teen TV show. SPANKIE grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a free spirited surfer girl, and got her start as a dancer and turned to playing guitar at age 16, before picking up the bass guitar shortly after. Now, at 20, SPANKIE is a completely self trained, home grown, grassroots artist who started out with a passion for entertaining others that has grown into a fully developed package, all by her own creation. From designing and building every piece of wardrobe she wears in her photo shoots, to being the exceptionally rare female artist who writes all her lyrics, plays most all of the instruments, produces, engineers, and edits her own music, she is a rising force to be reckoned with. SPANKIE is an artist. And while her main art comes through her music, she is also a songwriter, print/runway model, accomplished musician on bass guitar, dancer, fashion designer, audio engineer, and film editor.

Round Trip Ticket Band: Round-Trip Ticket is a new band, put together by members who have a love of the OlSchool Dance music, with a little bit of Pop, Soul, R&B in their selection of great dance music. Curty Sanford (drums) - Former drummer for the band Platypus and current drummer for The Deele from Cincinnati. Very solid. Norman Beavers (keys) - An original member of the group Lakeside, Norman is a veteran performer for many years, with a ton of performing experience. Vinnie Horn (guitar) - Another veteran performer, he also sings and had played with several groups. Heidi Allyce (vocals) - A seasoned performer, who can sing just about anything by anybody. Lexie Cole (vocals) - Specializes in singing Soul with artist as varied as Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige, Aretha and others. Shali Williams (vocals) - A new member of the group who is learning the ropes each week.   Lamar Webster (bass) - Bandleader and played with several LA acts including Record Player, Cross-Town Traffic, Niki Crawford and King Cotton.