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Sonic Bids THE 2008 SEASON ARTISTS - UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!

  • June 06 - Enter The Haggis
  • June 13 - Claire Lynch
  • June 20 - River City Brass Band
  • June 27 - The Tartan Terrors
  • July 04 - The Mary Ann Redmond Band
  • July 11 - The David bach Consort
  • July 18 - See-I
  • July 25 - The Lloyd Dobler Effect
  • August 01 - The Cast of Beatlemania
  • August 08 - Stephanie's Id
  • August 15 - Moonalice
  • August 22 - The Greencards
  • August 31 - Guggenheim Grotto
Enter The Haggis Enter The Haggis
Celtic/Rock/Pop
Scheduled to Perform June 6th
Official Website / MySpace Website

Music Samples: When Craig Downie was playing bagpipes on the streets of Toronto back in the mid-1990s, it wasn't planned as a career move. He was taking some time away from acting and pondering his future. But soon he was drawing crowds to his busking performances, and was also drawing the attention of some similarly adventurous musicians.

By the end of that decade, Enter The Haggis had been created, a rich blend of Celtic music, rock, bluegrass, pop, folk, and pretty much anything else the bandmates could think of to throw into the mix.

The release of their debut CD, "Let the Wind Blow High," gave notice to the world that a fine new Celtic-rock band was ready to be heard, and the explosive live CD from 2002, "ETH: Live!" cemented the band's reputation as one of Canada's finest live acts. Since then, the band has toured relentlessly, winning fans worldwide. Several releases and line-up changes later, ETH is not letting up. They filmed a live concert DVD for PBS in 2004, while two new CDs in the past year have kept pace with the demands of ETH's devoted fans.

Along with Downie singing and piping, ETH is made up of Trevor Lewington (guitar), Brian Buchanan (fiddle), Mark Abraham (bass), and James Campbell (drums). Together they create a musical feast that makes for a passionate live performance. .

Sponsored by McDowell Associates Insurance.

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claire lynch The Claire Lynch Band
Bluegrass
Scheduled to Perform June 13th
Official Website / MySpace Website

When Dolly Parton goes on record as saying that Claire Lynch has "one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today," we'd better sit up and listen. Dolly knows what she's talking about, having herself one of the most remarkable voices in the history of recorded music.

By any measure, the Claire Lynch Band is high on the bluegrass world's A-List, with musicians whose accolades include International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Female Vocalist of the Year and two Grammy nominations for Best Bluegrass Album (Claire); two IBMA Guitar Player of the Year awards (Jim Hurst); and two IBMA Bass Player of the Year awards (Mark Schatz).

A native of Poughkeepsie, NY, Lynch moved with her family to Hazel Green, AL, at the age of 12. Inspired by the pop songs of Joni Mitchell and the Beatles, Lynch sang as a youngster in an informal trio with her sisters.

In high school, she met her future husband Larry Lynch, and soon they were playing music together in a band called the Front Porch String Band. Motherhood interrupted that group's rise to regional fame throughout the south, but Claire continued writing and singing. Demos of her songs were heard in Nashville, and her compositions were soon covered by Stephanie Davis ("Moonlighter"), Patty Loveless ("Some Morning Soon"), and Kathy Mattea ("Hills of Alabam'"). Claire released a solo album in 1990 that garnered great praise and attention, and her 1995 album, "Moonlighter," was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best Bluegrass Album. "Silver and Gold" was released in 1997, then "Lovelight" in 2000, and "Out in the Country" in 2001. By then The Claire Lynch Band was huge on the bluegrass circuit - maybe too huge. Claire took a five-year break, coming back in 2006 with the CD "New Day." In October 2007, Rounder released a new CD titled "Crowd Favorites - A Claire Lynch Collection."

In addition to singing on her solo albums and recordings with the Front Porch String Band, Claire has sung on albums by Ralph Stanley, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Dolly Parton, John Starling, and Pam Tillis.

The Claire Lynch Band includes Jim Hurst on guitar, Mark Schatz on bass, and Jason Thomas on mandolin and fiddle.

Sponsored by Dollar Bank


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rcbb The River City Brass Band
American Brass Band
Scheduled to Perform June 20th
Official Website

On Nov. 21, 1981, conductor Robert Bernat tapped his baton, and history was made. It was the debut of the River City Brass Band, at the Carnegie Music Hall. It was an evening of musical excellence and determination - determination to bring about the revival of the grass-roots tradition of the American brass band.

That determination has paid off. More than a quarter-century later, the River City Brass Band performs a 49-concert series annually in seven different venues here in Western Pennsylvania. In addition, the 28-piece ensemble tours extensively throughout the United States with more than 60 performances each year as part of community concert series, major symphony pops series, and arts festivals. Building upon the long-standing tradition of brass bands popularized in Great Britain and the United States, RCBB features 25 brass players and 3 percussionists. This configuration allows the Band to present a sweeping repertoire: American tunes, Big Band swing and jazz, music from Broadway and Hollywood, classical and contemporary masterworks, and traditional marches.

These styles are all represented in the many CDs the RCBB has released, with titles like "Heartland," "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Christmas," and "Concert in the Park."

Each year, more than 120,000 people across the country get to revel in the sounds of one of Pittsburgh's most popular cultural exports. The Band has been a featured performer at the Adelaide Festival of the Arts (Australia), Musikfest (Pennsylvania), Chautauqua Institution (New York), New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, Interlochen Center for the Arts, (Michigan), and Thalian Hall (North Carolina), among many other venues.

Sponsored by The Donald D. Mateer Foundation

This show is underwritten in part by a grant from the Music Performance Fund of the American Federation of Musicians and the Westmoreland Jazz Society

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TartanTerrors THE TARTAN TERRORS
Celtic / Comedy
Scheduled to Perform June 27th
Official Website / MySpace Website

Music Samples: Taking traditional Celtic music where no other band dares take it, the Tartan Terrors come south from Ontario, Canada to show us that brilliant musicianship and a great sense of humor can live side by side, in perfect rhythmic harmony. Formed ten years ago by siblings Ellen Wilkes-Irmisch and Ian Wilkes-Irmisch, the Tartan Terrors don their kilts and bring the best drinking songs, dancing tunes, comedy routines, and jigs and reels to life with a spirit you'll rarely see on any stage. Dancers Ellen Wilkes-Irmisch, Chrissy Cvetkovic, Alex Moore, and Kerry Jackson (who also plays lute and percussion) provide the rhythmic accompaniment with their skillful Celtic steps, while Ian keeps the joyous songs rolling along, with Sean McKeown (bagpipes/pennywhistle), Blake Braswell (guitar/mandolin/banjo/voice), Peter Corneil (percussion/voice), Todd Loughry (saw/digeridoo/ukelele/percussion), and Meg Wilkes-Irmisch, a trained actress/comedian who also plays bass in the group. You'll be laughing 'til you cry, then crying some more from the band's evocative highland melodies, and eventually you'll be dancing, because the Tartan Terrors will remind you that life's too short not to - just ask anyone who saw their show here last year!

So=ponsored by Graphitti Drsign

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redmond The Mary Ann Redmond Band
Rock / Blues
Scheduled to Perform July 4th
Official Website / MySpace Website

Music Samples: In kindergarten, Mary Ann raised her hand and sang her version of "Dominique" by the Singing Nun. She hasn't stopped singing since.

A voice major at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Mary Ann was studying opera by day, and singing jazz and pop and blues in local bars five nights a week in the Jack Diamond & Friends band. Top-40 bands and traveling show bands led her eventually to Washington D.C. where she became a beloved figure on the local music scene, racking up a shelf-load of Wammie awards (given by the Washington Area Music Association), and playing with some of that city's best musicians. She released her debut CD, "Prisoner of the Heart" in 1995, and her vocal chops caught the ear of a Motown executive who signed her to a deal. When the executive lost his job, the deal with Mary Ann went south.

Another CD, "Live at Blues Alley," was also released in 1995, recorded at one of Washington's most legendary music clubs. Two more CDs have followed: "Here I Am" in 1999, and "Send the Moon" in 2004. A favorite with the Greensburg Summer Series, Mary Ann will bring her great band to town this year: guitarist Lenny Stevens, bassist Dr. Samba and drummer Jeffrey Neal.

A Greensburg favorite, Mary Ann returns this year for her 3rd appearance at SummerSounds.

Sponsored by Meineke Car Care Center, Greensburg

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David Bach The David Bach Consort
Smooth Jazz
Scheduled to Perform July 11th
Official Website / MySpace Website

As a boy, David Bach traveled the world with his father, a career Air Force man. His wide taste in music was nurtured during his international travels, and when he began playing keyboards, he knew exactly what he wanted to do, playing in school bands throughout high chool and college.

In the mid-1990s, Bach toured Europe regularly as keyboardist for RCA/BMG recording artist Fishbelly Black. He performed at some of the most acclaimed halls and festivals in England, taly, France, Germany, and Switzerland.

He settled in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, and began focusing on his own compositions. He won the 2004 Maryland State Art Council Performance Award, and his band, the David Bach Consort, recently won the Jazz Discovery Showcase on Black Entertainment Television. He has also performed at Jazzmatazz with B.B. King, and was featured in Washington's Taste of D.C. and played at the Rosslyn Jazz Festival. His new world jazz style can be heard on his latest CD, "A Deep Breath," as well as his previous recordings, "5thousand Words" and ' Window on the West."

The David Bach Consort has appeared on television on WMAR TV in Baltimore, the Smithsonian Institution, and at Jazzy Summer Nights at Baltimore's City Hall. Additionally, his band has played at the National Cathedral, the White House Correspondents Dinner and last month at USA Today's annual holiday event.

Bach has played with Enrique Iglesias in front of 30,000 fans. His band was voted "Best Instrumental Band" by Music Monthly Magazine 1999, 2000 and 2001. The David Bach Consort has been featured on national and international television on BET's Jazz Central.

Sponsored by Redstone Highlands

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see-i See-I
Reggae
Scheduled to Perform July 18th
MySpace Website

See-I is a spectacularly talented 8-piece reggae band from Washington D.C., featuring four members of the internationally acclaimed ambient-techno band Thievery Corporation. You can hear several elements of the Thievery formula in See-I's music: Latin, soul, funk, Brazilian, but mostly you hear a profound understanding of true roots reggae music. Start with stellar vocalists and lyricists Zeebo Steel and Rootz Steele, and build up from there. The list of the other bands that See-I's members have played in is a list of Washington greats: The All Mighty Senators, Sin Miedo, Thunderball, the Fort Knox Five, International Velvet, Soul Brazil, and more.

Joining Zeebo and Rootz are Rob Myers (guitar), Javier Miranda (percussion), Names Thompson (drums), Salem Steele (keyboards), Steve Sachse (bass), and Frank Mitchell (saxophone). This octet has become the favorite house band of DC's legendary Eighteenth Street Lounge, with weekly gigs that are nearly impossible to get in.

On stage, this octet creates a lush reggae landscape, with a groove that will have you dancing beneath the stars. Their debut CD, "The King," has just been released.

Sponsored by Comcast

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Lloyd Dobler The Lloyd Dobler Effect
Rock/Pop
Scheduled to Perform July 25th
Official Website / MySpace Website

Named after John Cusack's lovelorn character in Cameron Crowe's "Say Anything," the Lloyd Dobler Effect has become one of the most popular rock bands to come out of Washington D.C.

Singer Phil Kominski started the band eight years ago with drummer Donnie Williams when the two were classmates at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Md. Along with Chris Bruno, Patrick Hughes, and Rusty Williams, LDE has headlined three tours for the Armed Forces Entertainment, including trips to the Middle East and Asia. Their original compositions are propelled by a sound that's a tight blend of classic rock like Steve Miller or Peter Frampton and the more modern sounds of Pearl Jam, Green Day, and the Dave Matthews Band.

Last November, LDE won a battle of the bands competition, with a prize that included $10,000 of equipment. The timing couldn't have been better, as their trailer was stolen in Chicago in September! Given that the band has been averaging nearly 200 live shows a year, and 100,000 miles traveled every year, they look at the trailer theft with a philosophical eye.

Look for their CD, "Lloyd Dobler Effect, Live 2004," which captures their dynamic live show.

Sponsored by Toyota & Scion of Greensburg

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Beatlemania The Cast of Beatlemania
Beatles Tribute
Scheduled to Perform August 1st
Official Website / MySpace Website

It's okay if you didn't catch them on the Ed Sullivan Show or at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena back in 1964; The Beatles are coming to Greensburg. Okay, maybe not the original Fab Four, but the next best thing: the touring band The Cast of Beatlemania.

Featuring several performers who created the roles of the Beatles in the popular Broadway show Beatlemania, these intrepid actor/musicians are unmatched in their ability to recreate every different era of the Beatles musical career. The Cast of Beatlemania will astonish you with their ability to bring the Beatles alive before your eyes.

In the role of John Lennon is Carlo Cantamessa. Carlo, also the manager of the group, will perform on rhythm guitar and lead vocal. He has performed in this role for 30 years, and has received worldwide praise for his sound-alike/look-alike impersonation. As Paul McCartney, Lennie Colacina is an extraordinary likeness, down to his left-handed bass playing. Jim Filgate as George Harrison, and John Delgado as Ringo Starr round out the foursome, while Mark Templeton adds keyboards and orchestration, filling the roles of George Martin, Billy Preston, and many of the others who contributed to the Beatles' sound.

Sponsored by Allegheny Power

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Stephanie's Id Stephanie's Id
Lush indie pop/rock
Scheduled to Perform August 8th
Official Website / MySpace Website

Music Samples: One of the most acclaimed bands in North Carolina, Stephanie's Id delivers propulsive pop, featuring frontwoman Stephanie Morgan's engaging voice and and Chuck Lichtenberger's keyboards.

Named "Best Indie Band" of Asheville, NC in each of the past two years, Stephanie's Id was formed in 2001, and has gone from local favorites to regional stars. Their steady string of recordings and constant touring has earned the band a good measure of national attention as well. Their 2005 recording, "Spiral In," was on several "best of" lists for that year, and its lush indie-pop began catching the ears of radio programmers. It's rock without the guitar solos, with attention focused on the melodies, the hooks, and the gratifying payoff of the cascading chorus.

The 2006 EP, "This EP is Money," and the 2008 CD, "Grus Americanus," are both full of the gorgeous, edgy pop that marks this band as special. Musical touchstones include Rilo Kiley, Bjork, Cocteau Twins, Radiohead, sharing with these bands the ability to create gorgeous melodies over deceptively smart and deep musical ideas. The band hosts the annual IDFEST in Asheville, NC, bringing musicians from all genres together to celebrate the music scene in and around the Smoky Mountains.

Sponsored by WGSM – SAM FM 107.1

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Moonalice MOONALICE
Rock/Jam/Blues
Scheduled to Perform August 15th
Official Website / MySpace

If you thought the counterculture had evaporated in this new century, come and hear proof to the contrary when Moonalice takes the stage. A collective of stellar musical talent (you'll recognize many of the members' names), the band hides its individual selves behind the Moonalice rubric to create music that harkens back to the heyday of such prototypical "jam bands" as the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Hot Tuna.

The brainchild of California financial wizard, Roger McNamee, the band includes Hardwood Moonalice (G.E. Smith - former Dylan sideman, leader of the Saturday Night Live band) on bass, guitar, and vocals; Jésus H. Moonalice (Barry Sless, formerly of The Phil Lesh Band) on bass, guitar, pedal steel, and vocals; Sir Sinjin Moonalice (Pete Sears of Jefferson Starship, Rod Stewart, Hot Tuna fame) on bass, keyboards, accordion, and vocals; Blue Moonalice (Ann McNamee of The Flying Other Brothers) on bass, percussion, and vocals; DawnMan Moonalice (Jimmy Sanchez, who's played with Boz Scaggs and Dr. John) on bass and drums; and, every now and then, Yggdrassil Moonalice (Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, Dream Factor) on bass. Chubby Wombat Moonalice (Roger McNamee, Flying Other Brothers) also plays bass. Everyone plays bass. It's a requirement to be in the band, as the Moonalice "tribe" of their invented mythology specialized in "low tones."

Here's how the band's website describes their provenance, discussing the prehistoric tribe of Moonalice:

"The nomadic Moonalice clans were known as bands. They wandered the continent, surviving on their wits and music. Their specialty was low tones. The clans coexisted for millennia, living in harmony (and counterpoint) with all creatures. From time to time, the Moonalice hippies and bands would gather in pow-wows that were known as gigs. Moonalice gigs were quintessentially American, combining the vibes of New York, San Francisco and all points in between. Then came the 20th century. It nearly wiped out the Moonalice tribe, the remnants of which were forced underground."

Fortunately, a new day has begun. A daring sextet of nomads has emerged to revive the tribe, its music, and its legend. With each gig, the tribe grows. There is Moonalice in everyone.

Sponsored by Trib Total Media

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Greencards The Greencards
Americana / Bluegrass
Scheduled to Perform August 22th
Official Website / MySpace Website

This trio of singers and musicians comes from Australia and England and has created a stunning twist on the distinctly American musical form, bluegrass.

South London native Eamon McLoughlin was classically trained at London's Royal School of Music, where he was awarded seven violin performance qualifications. He heard country fiddling, and decided to move to Austin in 1997. There, he quickly found work with the likes of the Asylum Street Spankers, the Austin Lounge Lizards, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Bruce Robison.

Carol Young had two No. 1 singles in Australia in 2000 ("True Blue Fool" and "Part of the Past"), which landed her the Australian independent country artist of the year award. In 2001, she moved to Austin with Kym Warner, who was a four-time national mandolin champion of Australia and who had toured in Kasey Chambers' band around the world.

In Austin, they found a kindred spirit in McLoughlin, and quickly formed the Greencards, playing on their immigrant status. Their 2003 debut, "Movin' On," brought them great attention in the bluegrass and Americana world, and allowed them to tour all throughout the U.S. in 2004. Their 2005 follow-up CD, "Weather and Water," led to a tour of minor league ballparks, opening for Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. Talk about jumping to the head of the class!

A recent move to Nashville helped the band hone its songwriting chops and increasing its sonic spectrum. Last year's release, "Viridian," shows the band stepping out, and adding more pop, country, and even punk, to its list of influences. They describe it as a combination of Fairport Convention, New Grass Revival, the Ramones, and Patty Griffin. Somehow, that's exactly right. And it works.

Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Greensburg

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Guggenheim Grotto Guggenheim Grotto
Indie Pop
Scheduled to Perform August 29th
Official Website / MySpace Website

This trio from Dublin, Ireland, fuses the folk spirit and melodies of its homeland with the indie rock and soul of today.

Together as a duo since 2003, multi-instrumentalists Mick Lynch and Kevin May cut their teeth playing the Dublin coffeehouse songwriter circuit. A self-released EP brought them together with engineer/musician Shane Power, who was soon sitting in on the duo's live shows. When work began on the follow-up recording, Shane became a full-time member. That CD, "Waltzing Alone," was released in 2006 to rave reviews, and was #12 on the Irish charts.

The band toured the U.S. in 2007 and Greensburg was their first festival performance in the USA and we loved them! They have since built a substantial following in the US, as well as garnering key fans among radio DJs.

If you have an iPhone, you'll find one of their songs pre-loaded in your library. Earlier this year, they got a big break with the release of "Across The Pond," a CD compiled and released by Starbucks Entertainment/Hear Music. It features a song by The Guggenheim Grotto as well as tracks by Amy Winehouse, Damien Rice, The Fratellis and more of "The UK's Best and Brightest".

With a second full-length CD on the way, you would do well to catch this band now, as bigger things await them. With engaging songwriting, matched with intuitive musical interplay, brilliant harmonies, and a powerful charisma, this band is one to watch.

Sponsored by Seton Hill University and The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg

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See you at the park !!!