Contrary to widespread belief, there are quite a few bands trying to keep the local music scene alive. The following profiles spotlight a handful of those musicians. In addition to letting you know where you can hear more or see them perform, we’ve also asked for their advice and hopes for improving live music in the New River Valley, just in case anybody out there wants to jump in and help. At the very least look for these bands playing at a venue near you.

Blame James
Blacksburg
Rock/Pop/Experimental

Matt Sielski, Trevor Robinson (percussionist), Josh Van De Riet (bassist) and Jack Van De Riet (lead vocalist) make up this rocking local band. You can check out their music at myspace.com/blamejames or by picking up a copy of their CD, which consists of three studio recordings as well as a handful of live recordings from different venues at which they have played. In the area they perform at Awful Arthur’s in Roanoke and Blacksburg, Top of the Stairs in Blacksburg, along with Champs, Attitudes and some large fraternity functions. In Richmond, you can check them out at Alley Katz, Rocks, and Cary St. Café. They have played at The Firehouse in downtown Fairfax in Northern Virginia, as well as in the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the summertime. “As far as making the NRV music scene better, we just need to get people involved. It seems like people love to come and hear bands, but, for the most part, they don’t care enough to put forth any effort to support the bands. Perhaps arranging more multiple band functions could help to get the ball rolling.”

Celtibillies
Shawsville
Mix of Appalachian and Celtic

The Celtibillies consist of talented musicians playing a variety of instruments to create an Appalachian/Celtic sound. Their band consists of Becky Barlow on dulcimer, keyboards, bodhran, and vocals, Jeff Hofmann on acoustic bass, Tim Sauls on banjo, bouzouki, guitar, fiddle, and vocals, and Jack Hinshelwood on fiddle, guitar, and harmonica. They are not currently signed with a record label, but do have a CD available. It’s called The Shoemaker’s Child, and is available at Crossroads Music and Movies in Blacksburg, and online at celtibillies.com, myspace.com/celtibillies, and cdbaby.com. They have performed at several area places, including Wytheville First Thursdays, Henderson Lawn Summer Concert Series and Stepping Out in Blacksburg, the Jefferson Center in Roanoke and a few others. Upcoming performances are scheduled for July 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Jackson Park Summer Concert Series in Pulaski.

dot dot dash
Radford/Blackburg
Acoustic: Celtic, Appalachian Dance, and Gypsy Jazz

Bill Anderson (fiddle), John Hildreth (guitar), Joel Keebler (bass) and Matt Livingston (mandolin) make up this local band. dot dot dash has a self-titled debut CD from 2005, which is available in Radford at Encore Gifts and The Coffee Mill, at Harvest Table in Meadowview and online at www.radford.edu/~jhildret/dotdotdash and cdbaby.com. The band just finished a second CD, which will be available later this spring. You can check out this unsigned band playing contra dances in Virginia (frequently at the Winter Sun Music Hall in Floyd), North Carolina, and Tennessee. They believe the NRV could have more spaces for live music. “While there are a fair number of places one can go to hear traditional Appalachian music (the Floyd Country Store, local contra and square dances, fiddle jams, etc.) and concert music (Radford, Virginia Tech, Hollins, etc.), there remains a void for venues of other music such as jazz, electronic, and rock. Many of the night spots currently not featuring live music could really improve the scene by hosting it once or twice a week, even if it’s just a small jazz combo, string band, piano or classical guitarist.”

Emily Brass Band
Floyd, Radford, Blacksburg, and Roanoke
Original blend of Reggae and Hip-Hop, mixed with Soul and Jazz

The Emily Brass Band consists of five talented musicians, with Emily Brass as the vocalist, also playing the saxophone and percussion, George Penn on the drums, James Pace on keyboards, Richie Ursomarso on guitar, and John Lindsay on bass guitar. The Emily Brass band put their latest CD out under Emily’s own label called Forward Moving Music, but record companies still have a chance to sign them. Emily’s debut solo CD called Open Door came out last fall and is available through her Web site at www.EmilyBrass.com. It is also available at Notebooks and Café del Sol in Floyd, and at Seeds of Light in Roanoke. Future dates for the Emily Brass Band include BT’s in Radford on April 9, The Pine Tavern Pavilion in Floyd on April 20, and Awful Arthur’s Towers location on May 3. Emily feels like in order to make the New River Valley’s music scene a little better, there needs to be more publicity, saying, “The more the merrier, right?”

Groova Scape
Radford and the surrounding area
A variety of Funk, Rock, Blues, Reggae, Soul, and Electronica

Groova Scape is a fresh group in the NRV consisting of four talented musicians: Robert Prescott on drums; Marcus Morris on bass and vocals; Henry Lazenby on guitar; keyboards, percussion, and vocals; and Andrew Mowels on guitar and vocals. Groova Scape is currently unsigned, but you can hear their music at groovascape.com or buy single tracks from their CD, Enter The Groova, on myspace.com/thegroova. They’ve played at Awful Arthur’s, Attitudes, and Champs in Blacksburg, Haymarket Theatre at Virginia Tech, and at an array of college parties. As far as improving the NRV’s live music scene, Groova Scape says, “It’s getting better, although it’s got a ways to go. A clearing house or organization that could help local bands sort out the scene would be great.”

New River Grass
Floyd, Christiansburg, Snowville, and Barren Springs
Mostly Traditional Bluegrass, Bluegrass Gospel, and some Country, in Bluegrass style

New River Grass is not currently signed with a record label, but they have performed at New River Community College, The Claytor Lake Arts and Crafts Festival, The Floyd Country Store, New River Trail State Park, and Pulaski Moose Lodge, among several other places in and around the New River Valley. They have also performed at wedding receptions, family reunions, and several private and corporate events. The band consists of 5 musicians: Andrea Marshall on guitar and lead vocals, Casey Elder on the mandolin and vocals, Alice Pennington on bass fiddle, Doug Dalton on fiddle, and David Pennington on banjo. The band as a whole believes there is a big demand for music in the NRV. “We have a lot of young kids that love acoustic music, and they can’t get out on a school night to listen and learn from the ones who play,” said New River Grass member David Pennington. “I would like to see local theatres, music shop owners, and business owners to host music shows on the weekends, and make it affordable so the whole family can attend.” New River Grass is currently accepting bookings for the 2008 event calendar, and can be contacted at newrivergrass@wildblue.net or online at www.newrivergrass.com.

Scott Perry
Floyd
Acoustic Blues and Roots

“My first musical love is acoustic blues from what’s known as the pre-War period (before WWII),” said Scott Perry, who goes on to list numerous inspirations from genres such as mountain guitar tunes to swing, jazz, and honky tonk. His current CD under his own record label, Oh Papa Music, 8 Miles to Perryville, displays the variety of his interests and his songwriting and can be heard at myspace.com/ohpapablues. Perry usually performs solo; however, he has also played with the band Front Porch Swing. You can see Perry in several clubs and festivals in this area and on tour throughout the south and mid-west. Upcoming shows include venues such as Blue 5 and Nico’s in Roanoke, Chateau Morrisette, and a house concert at Ambrosia Farm B&B in Floyd. Perry believes the NRV is loaded with talented acts but it’s a buyers market. His take on the NRV music scene: “I work with any venue that respects and supports live, local music. I’ve worked hard to build a large fan base and I let them know where I’m playing. I encourage my fans to support (attend shows), and value (pay for), live local music. I also encourage them to support venues that pay local musicians.”

The Seed
Roanoke
Reggae/Soul/Rock

Band members S.G. Lewis “The Ambassador” (vocals/guitar), Brent Hoskins (drums/guitar/sampler), Jay DeCicco (bass), John “Slothman” Spence (percussion/backing vocals) are all natives of the Blue Ridge Mountain Region and can sometimes be seen wearing silly hats. This unsigned band’s debut album will be available for purchase on cdbaby.com and Dig Station during mid-April and in the coming months will be available on iTunes. The album will contain 13 original tracks, which can be heard at myspace.com/theseedsound. Some venues where you can see them perform are: Martin’s, 202 Market, and Fork in the Alley in Roanoke; Awful Arthur’s and Top of the Stairs in Blacksburg; The Pub in Harrisonburg; and BT’s in Radford. Hoskins advice for making the music scene better? “I’d say continue to bring bigger bands in and make sure local bands open up for them; and of course just more advertising about local bands in papers and on TV, and devote more radio airplay for local acts.”

The Two Funerals
Blacksburg
Rock/Punk

Signed under Cottage Records, Shannon Le Corre (vocals/guitar), Abby Cox (bass/backing vocals), and Dominique Montgomery (drums/backing vocals) make up The Two Funerals. The band normally plays in basements and in people’s houses. “We like that kind of environment much better than at bars or other venues,” Montgomery said. According to her, “at houses there is no age limit and the band can charge whatever they want for people to get in, which is something we care a lot about.” They think the NRV has a good scene right now, however; with house shows they have to worry about moving and issues with noise violations. Check out myspace.com/thetwofunerals to listen to their CD, Invade Poland, recorded with Tim Kirk in the summer of 2006. It’s also available on thecottagerecords.com. Already have the CD? Get 5-4-WHOA!-A Compilation of Southwest Virginia Bands, which is available now on Chimney Sweep Records.

Nico Woodruff
Floyd
Acoustic Celtic-influenced Folk or Creative Folk

Nicole Cooley Woodruff is a vocalist who plays rhythm guitar and incidental percussion instruments such as chimes and shakers. She also plays C flute and an unusual instrument called the bowed psaltery (related to the dulcimer). She is currently unsigned with a record label but produced CDs independently through her home studio called Gryphon Studios. Her most recent CD is called Nico Woodruff, Postcards From Floyd and is available in Floyd at Notebooks and online. Woodruff plays regularly at Black Water Loft, Café Del Sol, Oddfella’s Cantina, Over the Moon Café and Gallery, and Art Under the Sun Gallery, all located in Floyd. Woodruff would like to see a comprehensive weekly music publication or Web site that covered all the venues big and small in order to make the NRV’s live music scene better. For a sample of her music, you can visit her website at myspace.com/nicolecooleywoodruff.

Holly Hinte and Meghan George are too busy slaving as interns for the New River Voice to check out live bands, but they did an excellent job in rounding up these profiles.