DragonSong
World / Electro-Acoustic

DragonSong is a collaborative world music ensemble performing a synthesis of contemporary and traditional music. With a shared love of stretching musical boundaries, this tribe of artists bands together to experiment freely with an open mind, challenge one another, and explore artistic diversity. Their organic nature and addiction to exotic percussion births a kaleidoscope of compositions with a unique, international flavor. Through the integration of both ethnic and progressive tools, members combine their talents to create an entity greater than themselves to share with the rest of the collective. They strive to enlighten and inspire each other, and others, by recycling energy and encouraging expression on a conscious and subconscious level. Vocal harmonies blend with a variety of instrumentation, weaving an intricate tapestry of sound. Through the fusion of music with visual performing arts, DragonSong creates a multi-sensory experience for all to enjoy.

www.reverbnation.com/dragonsong


 

The Company Stores
Modern Blues/Folk

The Company Stores is a modern blues/folk band that smoothly blends elements of several genres of southern music. They pull inspiration from styles such as Delta blues, Appalachian folk, and slave spirituals, and then modernize them with rock and hip hop based rhythms. Vocalist Casey Litz's sultry and soulful voice captivates the audience, while the band lays down bluesy grooves between dynamic builds. The name "The Company Stores" is a throwback to the old coal mines of West Virginia. It refers to system set up by coal companies during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where they paid the miners in "script" or "coal money" that was only good at the "company store". This form of indentured servitude kept miners and their families in bondage to the coal companies, and was a classic case of the rich and powerful exploiting the poor. This name not only shows the bands heritage, but also the gritty feel of their music and the meaning behind many of their songs about the struggles of the common man.



K.T. Vandyke & Driftin' Westward
Folk

K.T. Vandyke and the band play originals and are influenced by Old Crow Medicine Show, Ryan Adams, Train and many more. KT has a gifted voice and since his first outdoor festival, he is being asked to play everywhere with the band or solo/duo. This group offers a pleasant blend of Americana and folk from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains to the music rich mountains and valleys of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina fused with deep in your face lyrical content delivered through precise harmony arrangements. K.T. Vandyke is the sole member of Driftin' Westward writing and arranging all the music.
The band is finding opportunities to play with some award winning players/producers such as David Castle.

www.driftinwestward.com




Melissa McKinney
Blues/Folk

Melissa McKinney is an accomplished  vocalist who was based in the NC/SC region for several years and was a member of Charlotte Blues Society. Her career peaked with a performance at the famous Double Door Inn right before the West Virginia native returned home in fall 2008 to open her business, “Stages Music School,” a creative music performance school for children. Her business is now thriving and is part of a major arts movement which is revitalizing the downtown of Princeton. Melissa was featured alongside the late blues legend Nat Reese several times in the past few years at the Blue Ridge Music Center, Floydfest Music & Arts Festival and more. She was crowned “Princeton Idol” in a 6 week long singing showdown sponsored by J104 and also won the Blues Portion of WV Finest vocal competition. She lights up the stage with her powerful and soulful voice. Watch for Melissa running the magical area of the festival known as “LaLa Land” and watch for her students, the wildly popular all girl kid band, Miss Behavin'.



Spongecake and The Fluff Ramblers
Funk / Jam / Rock 

If the 80's Grateful Dead and the 90's String Cheese Incident got together and had an illegitimate love child, that child would sound like SpongeCake & The Fluff Ramblers! 100 % All Natural Organic Jam! Providing Sustenance To The Head And Soul! No Artificial Sweeteners Or Preservatives! Guaranteed Always Fresh!
Calling the Carolinas home, Spongecake and the Fluff Ramblers is an improvisational band that dabbles around the edges of Rock/Folk/ Funk/ Jazz Fusion. They meld jams in and out of genres and styles, falling into the occassional improvised cover. No two shows are ever the same, no cover is ever played the same way twice. SCATFR also has an alter ego (sometimes referred to as Unkle Dad) playing either electric or unplugged bluegrass and olde timey classics and originals.

www.spongecakeandtheflufframblers.com




The Gin Mills
Blues / Rock

Founded in 2011, the Gin Mills is an original blues & rock trio that hails from the heart of West Virginia. Their sound is an ever changing representation of many ideas and styles. Are you a fan of hard rock? The Gin Mills have your back! Want some smooth blues? Got it! Feel like a folksy pick-me-up? Why not?

With plenty of original music to go around, the band consists of James Hart (guitar, lead vocals, etc.), Michael Testerman (bass guitar), and Shawn Wagner (drums and vocals). The Gin Mills are always ready to play, excited to gain new friends, and are ready to earn new fans! Add them to your playlists, see them live, and spread the word!

James Hart is one of the core teachers at Stages Music School in downtown Princeton, WV. Watch for his students on stage this weekend. 

www.reverbnation.com/theginmills




Tim & Maggie
Folk

Tim is primarily a composer, but he has always enjoyed playing stringed instruments. His first instrument was the piano at age 7, but it was at age 11 that the strings of the ukulele captured his heart. He hasn't stopped playing strings since. He was educated at the University of California at Santa Barbara, the Université de Bordeaux, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (DMA, 1977). Although his studies focused on composition and upright bass, he always found the time to continue work with guitar, banjo, and various other stringed instruments. He became Professor of Music at Concord University in 1978, where he has been a prolific composer and teaches music theory, composition, classical guitar, and classic banjo. His compositions include works for symphony orchestra, string quartet, wind ensemble, piano, flute, guitar, banjo, and electronic instruments. Tim is a member of the American Banjo Fraternity, the College Music Society, and the Viol da Gamba Society of America.
Maggie is a flautist and a piano tuner. She spent her youth performing folk music, primarily Irish, on various wind instruments. She began her formal education at the University of South Florida, and completed her Bachelors degree in music education at Concord University in 1998 where she became interested in piano technology. During her college years, she focused on art music, primarily 20th century. As a music education major, she spent much time with string and wind instrument pedagogy, which gave her a broad perspective on instrumental performance. She taught in the WV public school system from 1999 to 2003, and has taught private lessons in winds and strings since 1990. She started tuning pianos professionally in 2002, and has worked intermittently as an adjunct for Concord University teaching woodwinds class, music for elementary school teachers, and music history for non-music majors. In 2010, she started her graduate studies at Radford University where she is currently a student. Maggie is a member of the American Banjo Fraternity, the Piano Technicians Guild, and the Music Educators National Conference.
They play folk music from early America / Appalachia, including tunes that came over from England, France, Ireland, and Scotland, as well as some of Tim's original compositions in that style.

http://www.timandmaggie.net





Colby Elswick
Americana

Band leader and songwriter John Colby Elswick was born in Tazewell, VA and was raised in a musical family. He started playing violin when he was 4 and then drums and guitar around age 6, playing bluegrass in church. He was playing bass in worship services at 8 and soon went on to play in fairly large contemporary Christian rock band for about 6 years, The Travis Roberts Band, and played in a bluegrass band called TN Border Line with kids all under 18 which performed at the famous Bristol Rhythm n Roots festival. Currently he is the main vocalist for War Torn Angel. He studied upright bass performance at Southwest Virginia Community College but withdrew from school to pursue touring.



After Jack 
Americana/Eclectic 

After Jack may be a "new band with an old soul", but they have already achieved a great deal since their debut in fall 2011. Mary Allison, Rachel Blankenship and Emily Rose Tucker met while working as professional actor/musicians. Inspired by bluegrass, rock, gospel, blues, folk, country and everything in between, this Virginia based lady trio joined forces to create a sound driven by tight harmonies, eclectic musicianship and a certain je ne sais quoi, leading to a fusion of genres that provides a fresh take on the multifaceted music of the mountains. After Jack already has a loyal local following and they have quickly been expanding their audience both regionally and nationally. They claimed first prize in the Hayloft Gang National Video Contest in November 2011. They also recently beat out a host of other songwriters to claim the champion title in the 2011 Songwriter's Competition at Rapunzel's Coffee and Books in Lovingston, VA.

www.reverbnation.com/afterjack





DJ Oko Yono
EDM

Oko Yono is a electronic music producer/dj and visual artist from Raleigh North Carolina. Inspired by the pulse of the dance floor and the vibes of the crowd he produces music enjoyable both in a club or on a rainy day. You can follow Oko Yono online for music and visuals @ok_okoyono or at facebook.com/okoyono




Chally Erb
Dance and Movement Theatre

Chally is a founding member of Trillium Performing Arts Collective in Lewisburg, WV. He is a performer, musician, prop and set master, mask maker, choreographer and supporter. He studied at the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre and has performed throughout Appalachia at many festivals, fairs, hospitals and schools. Chally combines his talents as a “Walkabout” on stilts with juggling clubs, fire, knives or anything handy, engaging children to participate in the show. He likes to create work that is both meaningful and entertaining and hopes to continue creating outrageous bits of movement theatre with whoever wants to go out on a limb with him.

www.trilliumperformingarts.org





Pipes and The Peace Hounds
Rock

Two standout students from Stages Music School, Kayla McKinney (bass, guitar, drums, vocals) and Ary'an Graham (guitar, bass, drums) join two of their teachers, Melissa McKinney (vocals, guitar) and James Hart (vocals, guitar) for a rocking set of covers and originals. Powerhouse vocals and serious spunk fuel this train.



An Evening with The RiffRaff
Variety / Creative / Rock / Folk / Funk / Fun

The RiffRaff Arts Collective is a colorful group of performing, visual, literary and healing artists who have come together for a special time period of creation in downtown Princeton. Since 2006, artists of all ages and backgrounds have been brought together in collaboration and fellowship within a creative zone that exceeds expectations in this small town in WV. Some say it reminds them of something you would expect to find in a big city, and artists who visit from big cities often say they wish they had a venue like ours where they live. Every Monday night, The Room Upstairs, a turn of the century ballroom-turned living room theater, lights up with music, poetry, dance, art and conversation. It is a highly creative and regular meeting that has been taking place for years at 865 Mercer Street. Many of the downtown neighbors listen from the street as the music spills out and it has become a legendary experience. On Thursday night of Culturefest, the stage will represent the best of An Evening With The RiffRaff. Poets Tiffany Freed, Jordan Furrow, Ashleigh Gill, Cori Edwards, Briddy Morris and Leza Greenwald will share their unique perspectives and RiffRaff resident musicians Cody Perkins, Option 22, Colby Elswick, Captain Lazerblast Band, Melissa McKinney, James Hart, Kayla McKinney, Mike Atwell, and more will light up the stage with some unforgettable jams.
For more about The RiffRaff, visit

www.theriffraff.net



Cody Perkins & Company
Indie Folk / Rock 

Cody Perkins was born in Burlington, NC and moved to WV at age 11. He started playing guitar at age 15 and found music to be an outlet for feeling. If he has a strong emotion, he would sing about it. He started playing bass, drums and keys a couple of years later, and now, at age 21, he is a multi-instrumentalist and truly passionate musician. Capable of bringing an audience to tears, his raw emotion pours from this young man and listeners can just feel the deep soul he has. He formed a band called Jenny Don't Jump, and they recorded together for a while. He now records electronic music in his free time and continues to write. He is influenced by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Sam Beam and The Fleet Foxes. At this event he will be backed by Option 22.