Fri, May 11 - 9:30pm - $16

$1 FROM EVERY TICKET PURCHASED WILL BE DONATED TO "INSTRUMENTS 4 AFRICA" (www.instruments4africa.wordpress.com)! 

 Some music cannot be found on a map or within iTunes categories. Some music is so original it seems snatched from the great, invisible substrata that runs below all human activity, a sound aching to be born without a flag or fixed allegiance – free, questing, overflowing with immediate, tangible life. This is the music of Toubab Krewe, the vibrant Asheville, NC-based instrumental powerhouse that creates a sonic Pangaea that lustily swirls together rock, African traditions, jam sensibilities, international folk strains and more. While nearly impossible to put into any box, it takes only a few moments to realize in a very palpable way that one is face-to-face with a true original who recognizes no borders in a march towards a muscular, original, globally switched-on sound. Formed in 2005, Toubab Krewe has tenaciously honed their craft through relentless touring and a fierce dedication to carving out something they can truly call their own. The fruits of this hard work can be heard on their latest release, STYLO, (March 2nd, 2018). What Justin Perkins (kora, kamelngoni, guitar, percussion), Terrence Houston (drumset), Drew Heller (guitar, organ), Justin Kimmel (bass, keys), and Luke Quaranta (djembe, dunun, sangban, kenkeni, kryn, karenye) have wrought on STYLO reflects the many miles and musical journeys that have transpired since their last studio album, TK2. This is a band that actively draws inspiration from whatever source floats into their purview, something they've exhibited in their decade and a half of heavy gigging, including regular appearances at major U.S. festivals like Bonnaroo, High Sierra, Electric Forest, Wakarusa, Hulaween, and abroad at such legendary gatherings as the Festival In The Desert in Essakane, Mali, Shanghai World Music Festival, and Jam Cruise. Whether on their own or collaborating with luminaries like the Last Poets' Umar Bin Hassan, Uncle Earl's Rayna Gellert, or Weedie Braimah, Toubab Krewe has already earned the attention and respect of a broad musical community. Toubab carries echoes of African greats like Ali Farka Toure, Orchestra Baobab and Salif Keita, no doubt picked up during the group's travels to study and live in Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali. But what truly differentiates Toubab Krewe from other Statesiders inspired by African music is how they innovate on what they've learned instead of simply recreating tradition. Toubab Krewe carves out a new trail honoring the African originators they admire by making something alive and contemporary. 

For over five years, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad’s live show has defined the band. Touring relentlessly, the Rochester, NY-based group is sustained by its passion to reinterpret, explore, and expand its music night after night in cities throughout the country.Now, 767 concerts since the 2006 release of their debut album Slow Down, GPGDS is set to release a new album, Country, on January 31, 2012, on the California-based label Controlled Substance Sound Labs. With this release, the quintet has charted new territory and put together a lyrically-driven roots Americana album.Combining acoustic instrumentation including slide guitar, banjo, harmonica, upright piano, percussion, and bass, the album showcases songs as they were first created: on the road, riding in the van, and jamming backstage. The production of Country taps into that spontaneous rhythm, allowing the music to wash over listeners like a conversation between old friends. James Searl, Dylan Savage, and Dan Keller trade off lead vocal duties, with back up vocals provided by drummer Chris O’Brian, and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Lipp.Country is an immensely personal album that balances the themes of love separated by distance, while also inspiring reflection on the tumultuous times that we live in. On songs such as “Country” and “Kids In The Square,” James Searl explores elements of the social unrest and Occupy movements that have defined 2011. These emotions are evident when he sings “Time to get living is now / YouTube the moment try to teach us how / Run to the square with the people you know and you gotta get moving cause the movements been slow” (Kids In The Square).Country was recorded at Scanhope Sound, the Colorado studio owned by the band’s longtime sound engineer Joel Scanlon. Searl says the album was born unexpectedly last summer when “we walked into Joel’s studio and he just pressed record. This is what got laid down. It was unplanned, fun, and real.” The album kept moving forward when Atlanta-based producer Billy Hume (Nas, STS9, Ludacris, Josh Ritter) mixed the tracks shortly after meeting the band at The Festy, near Charlottesville, VA this past October.Later this spring, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will release a full electric album, In These Times. The psychedelic roots sound will be more familiar to fans who have gotten to know the band through their concerts and live recordings. Controlled Substance Sound Labs will release Country on January 31, 2012, and In These Times on April 10, 2012.Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad's new album "In These Times" comes out April 10th. This will be their first electric studio album since 2006's "Slow Down." Over the past six years, GPGDS has performed 800 shows, put out a collection of live albums, and recently released a roots Americana record titled "Country" (January 31, 2012). Mixed by Billy Hume (Nas, STS9, Ludacris) and dubbed by the band's longtime engineer Joel Scanlon, "In These Times" is a beautiful psychedelic roots reggae album. "The band's five masterful musicians weave layers of complex music within a reggae framework and may be one of the most diverse bands in the genre

 Born and raised in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood DJ Sound Culture has always had a great affinity for world cultures and deep music. His passion for both has to a large extent laid the path in front of him for most of his life. In the dj booth DJ Sound Culture is somewhat of an ethno-musicologist or rhythmic cultural chemist of sorts, exploring the world’s sounds and finding the threads that tie us all together globally. From Bhangra to Balkan Beat, African Soukous to Latin House, he knows how to navigate your auditory senses. His live mixes are both dynamic and cohesive, whether you’re a world music enthusiast or dance floor regular, he keeps things interesting and moving smoothly.Accolades include: Twice featured DJ at World Music Festival Chicago – the longest running world music festival in the country, featured world music DJ at Folk and Roots Festival Chicago 2011, featured DJ at Nomadic World Music Festival 2010, Voted favorite DJ by CHIRemezcla representing Chicago’s cutting edge latin music scene for the national En Tu Cuidad MySpace Latino campaign.