www.roanoke.com

Jonathan Vassar and The Speckled Bird
When: Friday, May 1, 2009, 7pm

The 900 Sessions
When: Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 6pm

Opulent Intergalactic Ball (Absurdist Dance Party)
When: Saturday, May 16, 2009, 7pm

Midwest Dilemma
When: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 6pm

Paleface CD Release Show
When: Saturday, May 23, 2009, 8pm

My Empty Phantom
When: Friday, May 29, 2009, 8pm

Trashed on Fiction
When: Saturday, May 30, 2009, 7pm

Get more details below.

Jonathan Vassar and The Speckled Bird
When: Friday, May 1, 2009, 7pm
Cost: All Ages $5
Info: Jonathan Vassar and The Speckled Bird with special guests Liza Kate, Billy Wallace, and Robbie Day.
"Jonathan Vassar is a singer and songwriter based out of Richmond, Virginia. His song craft stands upon a sturdy structure of tradition: the deep roots drawn upon by the outlaws of country music and the songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s. Seamlessly shifting from pastoral impressionism to urban romanticism, Mr. Vassar masterfully weaves lyrics into both poignant narratives and visionary tableaux. The Speckled Bird sets the stage for his songs by providing folk orchestration of accordion, banjo, mandolin, and striking vocal harmonies." -Wil Loyal, Triple Stamp Records
"Liza Kate is from Richmond via Florida and anyone who's ever seen her with her guitar knows this for fact. She sings quiet but strong and you'll probably get goosebumps (in a good way) when you see her play. She plays in Richmond a lot and sometimes ventures north or south to play shows in other cities. . . Liza also has a great little dog named Pony and likes to sit at the front in Sociology class." -Sara Klemm, Exotic Fever Records
Soundbytes: myspace.com/jonathanvassar, myspace.com/lizakate

The 900 Sessions
When: Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 6pm
Cost: All Ages $5
Info: A monthly music series on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, hosted by The Water Heater in Roanoke, VA. The showcase features 8 Roanoke-area musicians performing 15-minute sets, along with one touring band and one local band playing full sets. Bands are encouraged to bring new material and/or experiment. No line-up announced for May yet... check their Facebook group for the latest.

Opulent Intergalactic Ball (Absurdist Dance Party)
When: Saturday, May 16, 2009, 7pm
Cost: All Ages. TBA
Info: Featuring the experimental sounds of Khate and Feralcatscan, with the rare and spectacular audiovisual voodoo of Projexorcism. Attendees are encouraged to dress for the occasion by wearing what you would wear to an opulent intergalactic ball. Whether it's Cuban heels, ruby slippers, platform shoes, or go-go boots on your feet there will be a dance for you.
Soundbytes: khate.org, feralcatscan.com, myspace.com/projexorcism

Midwest Dilemma
When: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 6pm
Cost: All Ages $5
Info: Midwest Dilemma presents orchestral folk songs and waltzy ballads on their debut release, Timelines & Tragedies. Twenty-three members, consisting of strings, woodwinds, brass, orchestral drums, and nontraditional chamber instruments accompany singer-songwriter Justin Lamoureux. Timelines & Tragedies is a timeline of family history, tracing Lamoureux's ancestors to their days of French Canadian fur trading, the struggles of his parents' generation with Vietnam, and eventually concluding with his life in Omaha. The perfect outcome of Midwest Dilemma's vision.
Soundbyte: myspace.com/midwestdilemma

Paleface CD Release Show
When: Saturday, May 23, 2009, 8pm
Cost: All Ages $5
Info: Paleface and Mo are returning to The Water Heater to release their super new CD "The Show is on The Road." The dynamic duo featuring Paleface himself and darling drummer Monica “Mo” Samalot has been charming audiences coast to coast with their high energy performances, honest, refreshing lyrics, and their raw yet full folk-core sound. Now they’re bringin’ the show back to Roanoke for what’s gonna be one fantastic evening of fun at The Water Heater!
Soundbyte: myspace.com/palefaceonline

My Empty Phantom
When: Friday, May 29, 2009, 8pm
Cost: All Ages. TBA
Info: My Empty Phantom with Silence at Central Park and We Were Animals. My Empty Phantom (Jesse Beaman) brings his classically ambient sounds all the way from Austin, TX back to The Water for what will be a fantastic show! His live performances are like an open invitation for a thought provoking experience where before you even realize it you are sucked into his world of sound.
Soundbytes: myspace.com/emptyphantommusic, myspace.com/silenceincentralpark

Trashed on Fiction
When: Saturday, May 30, 2009, 7pm
Cost: All Ages $5
Info: Brooklyn-Jersey City based Trashed On Fiction has been steadily gaining attention with recent shows and an unofficial endorsement by Barack Obama (very unofficial, likely an outright lie). Influenced by the roots-rock of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young, The Band, the early country rock of Gram Parsons and their latter-day disciples Wilco, as well as the Midwest alt-rock of the Replacements. Trashed On Fiction synthesizes these bands into infectious, noisy rock and roll songs about awkward romantic relationships, an apathetic folk hero, baggage (lots of baggage), The Woolworth building, a celebrity stalker and removing your clothes. That's the first half of the new record anyway.
Soundbyte: myspace.com/trashedonfiction

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