7:00pm Rayland Baxter
Americana bliss that blends country, roots, and vintage pop.
(For fans of Fleet Foxes, The Lumineers, and Jack Johnson)
For the making of his fourth album If I Were a Butterfly, Rayland Baxter holed up for over a year at a former rubber-band factory turned studio in the Kentucky countryside—a seemingly humble environment that proved to be something of a wonderland. “I spent that year living in a barn with the squirrels and the birds, on my own most of the time, and I discovered so much about music and how to create it,” says the Tennessee-bred singer/songwriter. “Instead of going into a studio with a producer for two weeks, I just waited for the record to build itself. I’d get up and go outside, see a butterfly and connect that with some impulsive thought I’d had three months ago, and suddenly a song I’d been working on would make sense. That’s how the whole album came to be.”
5:30pm Left-Handed 2nd Baseman
Left-Handed 2nd Baseman (LH2B) is the creation of singer/songwriter/producer Fran Broderick. Fusing diverse influences ranging from heartland rock to alt-folk to soul and synthpop, the result is stirring anthems and tender ballads, anchored by Broderick’s captivating lyrics. LH2B’s new album The Dogs Race to the Door arrived Fall 2023 and marks the first full album with the LH2B band and the first album since 2018’s Trench Digging During Peacetime, which was nominated for Best Local Album of 2018 in CITY Newspaper. Previewing the release show, CITY wrote: “Broderick sings in a soulful country drawl that has traces of Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, and even a touch of Muddy Waters as he races through breathless soul-rock songs with tremendous heart.” Having shared the stage with famed jam and folks acts like Max Creek, Ryan Montbleau, Ekoostik Hookah, and DJ Logic, and playing venues throughout Western New York, Manhattan and Brooklyn, the band members are seasoned performers constantly expanding their soundscape with styles ranging from Dylan and The Band to Springsteen and Zevon.
4:00pm Bellwether Breaks
Bellwether Breaks has a groove so irresistible it won’t let you walk out the door. This new band draws its life blood from slinky 60s Soul and early Rock n Roll, with a smattering of angular 90s grit. Their songs are fun and familiar yet unpredictable, like a confident lover with an acceptable number of red flags.
“You can see it and feel it…they just lean in and let the groove do its thing.” says Frank DeBlase, music writer for Rochester, NY’s City newspaper.
Elyse, Wade, Eugene, Chris, and Dave happily call Rochester their home, where they were forged in the fires of the vibrant local scene, the Eastman School of Music, and just plain honest living. With hints of Amy Winehouse, Otis Redding, Angel Olsen, and even Weezer, Bellwether Breaks puts a modern spin on retro nostalgia with their seriously catchy sound.
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