Words, images and videos from the third annual AURA Music & Arts Festival
Perpetual Groove performing at the Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte, NC 11.17.12.
On an unusually pleasant August night, Perpetual Groove returned to Raleigh's Lincoln Theater for their second visit of 2012. With school not yet in session, the show was somewhat sparsely attended, but about 100 spirited fans still soaked up the band's dependable jam-rock sounds and blazing light show.
PGroove keyboardist Matt McDonald sits for a revealing interview.
Umphrey’s, Soulive, Lettuce and Lotus are just a few of the bands set to play Bear Creek this November.
A look at this week’s tour dates announcements.
Sample Perpetual Groove’s covers of Purple Rain and Musicology from Halloween.
After a few turbulent years, Perpetual Groove has been hitting their stride in 2011. Brock Butler has been singing with passion and emotion in his voice that went missing for
In today’s day and age, it’s virtually impossible to keep a secret. With social media chirping and tweeting away with constant alerts, and Facebook and the like wasting away our free time and clogging our inboxes, it’s amazing that Perpetual Groove is about to host their tenth annual Amberland festival this upcoming Memorial Day weekend – with most of you being none the wiser. As the saying goes, Amberland is not a place, but a state of mind. Please allow me to explain why.
Now, to fully understand and appreciate Amberland, one must understand the band that so graciously hosts it as well. PGroove guitarist/vocalist Brock Butler was gracious enough to chat with me about this year’s upcoming festivities. An event that initially started in a friend’s backyard, Perpetual Groove, which also includes bassist Adam Perry, drummer Albert Suttle and keyboardist John Hruby, returns to Cherokee Farms in Lafayette, GA for the group’s biggest shindig yet.
Historically easing into the weekend, the band performs in-the-round at a casual setting and treats the early arrivals to such rare treats as some side projects, special guests or cover tunes on Friday night. This serves as a warm up and whets the appetite for six, full sets of proper PGroove over Saturday and Sunday, which always serves as the meat to this overly stuffed musical sandwich. READ ON for more about Amberland X…
Jam Cruise 10 sets sail from Ft. Lauderdale, FL on January 9 aboard the MSC Poesia and will visit Labadee, Haiti and Falmouth, Jamaica before returning to Ft. Lauderdale on January 14. Over the first nine Jam Cruises a number of artists have proven themselves to be ideal performers for the community-oriented vibe of the trip. Jam Cruise 10’s lineup brings nearly all of those acts back to the open seas including HT faves Umphrey’s McGee, Galactic, Soulive, Perpetual Groove, The New Mastersounds, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Railroad Earth.
Other acts set to perform on Jam Cruise 10 will be Keller & The Keels, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Ozomatli, 7 Walkers (w/ Steve Kimock), Orgone, EOTO, Toots and the Maytals, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Toubab Krewe, Shpongle (DJ Set), Break Science w/ Chali 2na, George Porter and the Runnin’ Pardners, Dr. Klaw, Surprise Me Mr. Davis, Dead Kenny G.’s, The Heavy Pets, DJ Logic, DJ Kraz, Paper Diamond, Everyone Orchestra and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The New Deal returns to Jam Cruise this January for what will likely be the band’s last-ever performance before going their separate ways. One group we’re particularly interested in seeing is billed as A Tribute to Sly Stone and the Family Stone featuring Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Nick Daniels, Adam Deitch, Ian Neville and Nigel Hall. Best part? You know each of those guys will sit in with plenty of bands and in the Jam Room, a venue where Jam Cruise musicians congregate to improv each night.
Speaking of sit-ins, bringing aboard special guests to perform with the bands on the boat is a Jam Cruise tradition and for JC10 the event’s organizers have tapped Anders Osborne, Steve Kimock, Chali 2na, Col. Bruce Hampton, Big Sam, Jessica Lurie and Kyle Hollingsworth to fill those spots. Cabins go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, May 24 at Noon EDT. Those who already pre-booked will be able to pick a room according to their assigned booking time starting on May 11. Visit JamCruise.com for more details about one of the best vacations possible.
READ ON for the full Jam Cruise 10 lineup and more details…
