Top Tickets: Indie rock, blues and funk
TONIGHT The Missionaries With Virginia Werewolf, The Concerns This Roanoke-spawned indie triple-bill includes bands old, new and all-star. The Missionaries launch a 10-city tour with this show. The opening act includes Eternal Summers’ Daniel Cundiff and The Young Sinclairs Sam Lunsford. Details: 9 p.m. Billy’s Barn, 1790 Thompson Memorial Drive, Salem. $5; 18 and older. 728-0270, facebook.com/billys.barn.1, themissionariesva.bandcamp.com FRIDAY Doug Deming and Dennis Gruenling With The Jewel Tones Deming, a
Jammin’ weekend for music in Roanoke
A weekend of big musical events in the Roanoke and the New River valleys features some of the best bands in the Americana world and an old-time music tradition. Here’s a breakdown: Railroad Earth This New Jersey-based jamgrass powerhouse has played at least seven FloydFests, including last month’s version. But for those who have seen the band before, fiddle player Tim Carbone says not to worry — no two shows
Wheeler stations top spring Roanoke-Lynchburg Arbitron ratings
Arbitron is sending good vibrations to Electric Road. Not only is Star Country (WDLC-FM, 94.9) still the top-rated radio station in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market, one of its sister stations posted its best-ever showing in the spring survey. Urban contemporary station the Vibe (WVBE-FM, 97.7/100.1) has taken over the number-two spot on the radio charts — its highest ranking ever. Star Country and the Vibe are both owned by Mel Wheeler
Gallery: FloydFest Instagram contest winners
As part of the FloydFest festivities last week, we held our first Instagram contest - asking festivalgoers to submit their photos via the popular photo and video sharing app. There were two basic rules: 1. Follow our Instagram account: @roanoketimes 2. Tag the photo with the hashtags #floydfest and #roanoketimes. Our panel of judges - Roanoke Times photographers Rebecca Barnett, Joel Hawksley, Stephanie Klein-Davis and summer photo intern Sam Owens
Top tickets: Catch the blues at Reserve Ave.
Some of the best performers and songwriters in modern blues music will hit the stage on Saturday, at the 8th Annual Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Festival. Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials and Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, the Mike Lucci Band and the Blue Ridge Blues Society’s 2013 Blues Contest are part of the action, at the Rivers Edge Sports Complex, at Reserve Avenue. Opening act Lucci is
Top tickets: Laura Reed will headline at Steppin’ Out
Soul singer Laura Reed’s recent career moves are proof that a performer shouldn’t take any gig or any contact for granted. Reed, who headlines the annual Blacksburg event Steppin’ Out on Saturday, used to be a fixture in Southwest Virginia, playing FloydFest and other venues with her band, Deep Pocket. That act, powered by Reed’s vocals and positive lyrics, was one of FloydFest’s early hit bands. The band split up
Festivalgoers drying out in home stretch of FloydFest
Despite the rain and mud on Saturday, the music continued playing at Floydfest, while a strong, steady breeze helped get things a little drier. Lines were forming at shuttle stops for people who had to get out. Plenty of people still remained and a full schedule of music awaited. Floydfest co-founder Kris Hodges told the Roanoke Times earlier this month that he expected about 17,000 at the four-day event. After
Rain wreaks muddy havoc at FloydFest
The first two days of this year's FloydFest featured some of the most temperate weather the event has ever seen - highs in the high 70s, light breezes, clouds blocking the sun's harshest rays, relatively warm nights. Then the clock struck midnight Saturday. First, it sprinkled. Then it rained on festivalgoers dancing to late night/early morning music. By the time the World Village DJ set was over, the rain was
FloydFest attendees keep partying through the night
The daily party at FloydFest is long-lasting. Many famous music festivals -- Vans Warped Tour and Bonnaroo, for example -- have a cutoff time around midnight, but Thursday night highlighted the unique culture at FloydFest. The Global Village stage was a late-night hit. Farther down the hill from the main festival area, the stage hosted a crowd that swayed to Charlottesville band Baaba Seth well beyond the witching hour. The
FloydFest opens first sold-out weekend (with photos)
Putting on a big show without a hitch or two is nearly impossible. The bigger the show, the bigger the hitch potential. FloydFest had a couple of them on the first day of the event’s 12th go-round. But they were largely worked out by the time the sun fell on one of the prettiest days in FloydFest history — and one of its strongest days of live, outdoor music. The
Top Tickets: American ‘Idol’ hits Danville
TONIGHT Bulldog Jazz Festival With Norman Connors, The Bulldog Jazz All-Stars Connors, a drummer, songwriter and producer who came to mainstream fame with the 1976 soul number “You Are My Starship,” brings his band to town for this annual gathering. On drums with Connors is Roanoke’s own Kelly Gravely. Details: 7 p.m. Lucy Addison Auditorium, Roanoke. $25. 904-8683, 467-0057 FRIDAY Building Bridges Tour With Cesar Comanche, Poe Mack, Ghost Dog
At FloydFest, 'Advance & adjust'
FLOYDFEST’S July 29, 2012, sell-out wasn’t a surprise to organizers. They had scheduled quite a Sunday of music — Alison Krauss & Union Station, Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs — and they thought they were ready to handle their biggest-yet final-day crowd. But they realized early that day that there would be trouble. They had sold a lot of single-day tickets for Sunday, and they thought their “Alpha” parking lot could
5 must-see FloydFest acts
A musically adventurous spirit is important at every FloydFest, because the bill is never stacked with household names. Sure, you’ve got your Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Lumineers, Brandi Carliles and the like. Even they aren’t household names, but are known well enough that people will shell out the bucks and head to the festival to hear them. But surprises always await, even to the very last act on
Jefferson Center schedules promising lineup of blues, jazz
Some greats of blues, jazz and banjo are among the performers scheduled to play Jefferson Center's 2013-2014 Star City Series, the venue announces today . James "Trombone Shorty" Andrews , who is at least as strong on trumpet as on trombone, brings his Orleans Avenue band to Jefferson Center's Shaftman Hall for the Sept. 19 season opener. Chris Thile, mandolinist and frontman for Punch Brothers, performs solo on Oct. 10,
The Black Lillies are making it on their own steam
In five years, Knoxville, Tenn., band The Black Lillies has become a force in the Americana world — a band with no record label that can still debut an album in the Billboard top 50 while touring enough to build crowds from coast to coast. On its recent road trips, the act has been talking up its Saturday night show at Daleville Town Center Music Pavilion, bandleader/songwriter Cruz Contreras said.
Top tickets for July 18 in the Roanoke region: Roots rock and honky-tonk
TONIGHT Hillbilly Casino With Dyin’ Crapshooter Over the last couple of months, Jesse Ray Carter has transformed the back portion of 202 Market into a rockabilly and honky-tonk rebel haven. Tonight, Nashville rockabilly rippers Hillbilly Casino return to Roanoke for a gig at Doc’s Cigar Bar. Carter opens as Dyin’ Crapshooter. Details: 9 p.m. Doc’s Cigar Bar at 202 Market, Roanoke. $5. 343-6644, facebook.com/202market, thehillbillycasino.com FRIDAY First & 3rd Fridays
Blacksburg's I Got Brains Fest boasts smart lineup
More than 50 bands are descending on Blacksburg this weekend for the second edition of the I Got Brains Fest. Two venues — the Cafe at Champ’s Restaurant & Sports Bar and 130 Jackson — will host music marathons on Friday and Saturday. At the top of the respective bills are The Front Bottoms (Friday at 130 Jackson), The Reptilian (Friday at Champ’s), Into It. Over It. (Saturday at Jackson)
FloydFest sells out all days for first time
FloydFest 12, scheduled for July 25-28, is sold out, organizers announced Monday. It marks the first time in the event’s history that each day has been sold out — much less in advance. Last year, every day but Thursday, July 26 was sold out, and that day missed the mark by only a few dozen. FloydFest co-founder Kris Hodges said last week that he expected between 12,500 and 15,500 people
Top tickets: See a video shoot, celebrate a CD
FRIDAY Tobacco Apache CD Release Party With Stananko Roanoke-based, Americana-flavored rock band Tobacco Apache releases its CD, “Inside Out,” recorded with Jake Dempsey at Music Lab at Jefferson Center. Joining the band for this party are harmonica man Robby Carden and the Mojo Horns. Details: 10 p.m. Martin’s Downtown Bar & Grill, Roanoke. Free. 985-6278, martinsdowntown.com, tobaccoapache.com SATURDAY Amanda Stathos Concert Video Shoot Stathos, a gifted singer, has been trying
Out & About: Led Zeppelin tribute band Kashmir to play Roanoke Civic Center plaza
Led Zeppelin fans will get a chance to hear the classic sounds of songs like “Rock and Roll,” “Black Dog” and “Good Times, Bad Times.” Only it’s not actually Led Zeppelin. Kashmir, a Zeppelin tribute band based out of New Jersey, will be playing at 96.3 WROV-FM’s “Sounds @ Six” on Friday at the Roanoke Civic Center plaza. The concert is the first of three between July and September that
1. 41-vehicle wreck ties up traffic Sunday on I-81 in Rockbridge County
2. Virginia Tech football roster has holes on picture day
3. Medicare penalties hit hospitals in Roanoke, New River Valleys
4. Microfestivus beer event gets downtown Roanoke hopping
5. McFarling: 2 little numbers are a big hurdle for Virginia Tech football
6. DAN CASEY: Copter cost still stirring up dust
7. Roanoke farmers markets making local foods more accessible
8. Arrest made in case of missing Nelson County teen
9. Virginia attorney general's office grows under Ken Cuccinelli
10. Man's drowning is 5th in Lynchburg area
THE ROANOKE TIMES
