This area is fully editable and gives you the opportunity to go into more detail about your business, what you do and what sets you apart from the competition.
This area is fully editable and gives you the opportunity to go into more detail about your business, what you do and what sets you apart from the competition.
This area is fully editable and gives you the opportunity to go into more detail about your business, what you do and what sets you apart from the competition.
2018 LINE-UP
Con Brio (FRI)
“They came, they saw, they kicked our ass” – Consequence of sound. “The band, particularly frontman Ziek McCarter, have got spirit in droves. McCarter’s voice recalls Prince, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars & James Brown, and he moves like an electric eel, getting down to do the splits with crowd pleasing regularity” – The Sydney Herald. They have toured the globe playing major festivals on multiple continents: Fuji Rock, Montreal Jazz Fest, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and more. Their meteoric rise has been breathtaking, but Con Brio is more than up to the challenge. Says Zeik “We don't want to walk, we don’t want to drive…..we want to fly, to levitate”.
Pimps of Joytime (SAT)
When it comes to throwing a party, the Pimps of Joytime raise the bar with swagger to spare - if you have yet to encounter this Brooklyn-based band prepare to take a funky ride! The band’s diverse sound and spirited attitude is strongly influenced by the Brooklyn DJ culture and live music scene from which they emerge. Their live events and recordings have captivated fans all across the country with rhythms and textures drawn from New Orleans funk, 90s club house, 60s salsa, afrobeat, hip-hop and more. Classic songwriting, infectious dance grooves and righteously soulful vocals, the Pimps of Joytime consistently energize dance parties wherever they appear - road tested and audience approved groove machine! Guitarfish returnees, The Pimps of Joytime performed here in 2013 & 2014 as well as at our sister festival the Joshua Tree Music Festival in spring 2011.
Orgōne (SUN)
Orgōne (Or-gōne). Noun. 1. A universal life force. 2. A cosmic unit of energy, the creative force in nature. 3. A soul music juggernaut with 8 heads and one heart. Now and always, Orgōne delivers dirty, organic, California soul with heart; music that grabs you by the collar, pulls you to your feet and shoves you wantingly onto the dance floor. “We intend our music to have an inhibition-canceling effect,” founding guitarist Sergio Rios explains. “It speaks to those who may have wallflower tendencies encouraging everyone to own the freakiness that lives inside them, and enjoy the spotlight for a little while. Sometimes it takes a nudge to let go and get on the dance floor. And sometimes it takes a big 'ol push... a love shove, if you will. And we're well versed in those."
Dynohunter (SAT)
Dynohunter are an undeniable force on the dance floor blending deep electronic influences with live saxophone, bass, and drums. Their sound journeys from dark tribal meditations, exotic rhythms, and deep hypnotic grooves to hard hitting dance tracks, uplifting melodies, and soulful improvisations. Equally at home playing underground clubs and festival mainstages, Dynohunter brings a relentless and unmatched energy to each and every set. They've opened for some of the biggest names in livetronica including Conspirator, Eoto, Opiuo, Ott, and The New Deal. It’s about “laying down thick grooves and taking the crowd on a ride” says bandmember Fred Reisen.
Dead Winter Carpenters (SAT)
Hailing from North Lake Tahoe, Calif., Americana band Dead Winter Carpenters has built a reputation for pouring their heart and soul into each performance. In just a few years, they have positioned themselves, wrote Portland Metronome, “at the forefront of a youthful generation trying to redefine what string music is and what it can do.” That progressive nature comes through loud and clear – from instruments plugged and unplugged – in the band's new release, Washoe (February 26, 2016). The band's fourth studio project, the 12-song collection of originals was recorded in Reno's Sierra Sonics Studio (Ozzy Ozbourne, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Collective Soul) and co-produced by Dead Winter Carpenters and Zachary Girdis.
DJ Williams' Shots Fired (SAT)
DJ Williams is the esteemed guitarist for Karl Densons Tiny Universe. While not funking up the stage with Karl D., DJ performs with a superstar line up of friends as DJ Williams' Shots Fired. Some of those friends include members of KDTU, Slightly Stoopid, Dave Mathews Band, Lenny Kravitz, Dr. John, Pimps of Joytime, Soulive, the Greyboy All Stars and more. To say this group packs a potent punch is a gross misunderstatement. With an emphasis on melody, refined songwriting, and an extremely diverse musical palette, DJ strives to push new boundaries with his supa clean guitar stylings. They delivered a fabulously funky set at the Joshua Tree Music Festival in OCT 2017, and we are thrilled to have them grace the stage here at Guitarfish.
Within (formerly Todo Mundo) (FRI)
After 7 years of beautiful experiences and a deep exploration of our hearts, we are ready to share a new vision and journey with you. Todo Mundo has undergone a transformation and will now be creating under a new name, ‘Within’. Within is an expression of self-discovery and celebration of our shared human experiences through music, blending pulsing electronic elements paired with the beauty of acoustic instruments and soulful lyrics. It is beyond a singular definition or label. It’s an experiment of expressing the music as it comes, a fusion as diverse and open as life. This is the journey, this is the evolution, this is life. What is most personal is universal, and there, is the discovery of our real connection. As we venture Within, it connects us to each other in understanding what it is to be fully human.
Afrolicious (THU)
Dance fusion collective, Afrolicious is a dance party instigator combining rhythms from Africa and Latin America with electronic breaks and deep club beats. The band emphasizes the organic elements, instrumentation, and energy of a live ensemble and this is combined with club heavy beats and textures ensuring booty shaking ensues. Afrolicious has played alongside such artists as Thievery Corporation, Jimmy Cliff, Fishbone, Balkan Beat Box, Rob Garza, Novalima, The Pimps of Joytime, Nickodemus, Johnny Osbourne, See-I, Ghostland Observatory, Beats Antique, J.Boogie, and DJ Smash. We are delighted to welcome these Guitarfish alumni back to the stage.
Steve Poltz (SAT)
Steve Poltz is obsessed with the challenge of knowing and understanding the thoughts of each and every person in his audience. As a road-tested troubadour armed with whimsy, curiosity and a healthy respect for the absurdities of existence, he is unafraid of saying yes, unafraid of letting his relentless, giddy energy fill a room and he is unafraid of letting his streams-of-consciousness take him where he needs to go. His songs are guileless snapshots filtered through the windshield of his brain. He opens his mouth and lets it fall out – a SONG – and it’s as shameless and intriguing and profound and wondrous as he is. A mix of high octane performance, singular wit and endlessly entertaining storytelling, Steve is legendary for his improvisational songwriting and timeless, original classics.
Royal Jelly Jive (SAT)
"Royal Jelly Jive delights in creating a danceable vibe that defies easy description" - American Songwriter Magazine. Few bands have the ability to evoke an old-school throwback vibe and yet sound entirely fresh and new at the same time. Combining elements of Soul, Rock, Swing and Hip-Hop, Royal Jelly Jive shakes up every dance-party and grooves harder than your typical rock n' roll band dares to go. Sultry vocals, infectious swingin' horns, gritty keys and a bumpin' rhythm section carry a crowd into bliss... creating an unforgettable live experience that will leave you wanting more. They have been lucky enough to share stages with notable acts such as Michael Franti, Rebrirth Brass Band and The California Honeydrops and graced the stage at the Spring Joshua Tree Music Festival, 2016.
Achilles Wheel (FRI)
Achilles Wheel is a California based rock and roll band that blurs the lines between genres and fuses an infectious blend of Roots and World Music, Rockadelia. Their sound comes across as both Old School and New School and is riddled with great songwriting. The one thing that rises to the surface as you get to know this band is that supporting the benefit of our human condition is foremost in their work. They play hard as a way to break down walls and celebrate life. The idealism that they embraced as younger men has not diminished in the harsh light of the modern world as we struggle to live freely and have a good time, and in the end, hopefully matter. Achilles Wheel fearlessly sings out to these times.
Handmade Moments (FRI)
"Experiencing a Handmade Moments show is kind of like enjoying a spoonful of political discourse wrapped in local organic bacon and deep fried in hemp oil — and it’s all silky." - Free Weekly. Eclectic, versatile, dynamic and engaging. What makes the homey Ozark stew of Handmade Moments so very nourishing, so perfectly spiced? Partake and be effortlessly guided through wistful and deep channels of musical flavor, rich with hearty roots and fungi, vegetables home-gardened and watered from the sacred well of American musics: jazz old-time country blues soul hip-hop rock (and it don’t stop). Glistening with insight and whimsy, long-simmering with righteous compassion and beauty, Handmade Moments are a fearless all-weather duo – complementary spirits of musical tightrope and magic.
Midtown Social (FRI)
It’s time to stretch, hydrate, and double-knot your dancing shoes! Midtown Social are bringing the soul party and their freshly squeezed blend of California soul, funk, and rock is downright irresistible. Midtown Social is a nine-piece tour-de- force. More than just a band, these nine musicians are a collaborative community of writers, arrangers and artists. Deeply inspiring and guaranteed to make you sweat just as much as it makes you think, Midtown Social presents a message of solidarity and hope, voiced by a community of people who are as diverse, bold, authentic, and vulnerable as the community in which they were forged. Midtown Social asks us all to come together, to find common ground, love and camaraderie, to fight for our communities, way of life, and rights—and to stand together as one.
Pamela Parker (SUN)
Pamela Parker leads this all-star rock n' soul band featuring Tom Finch on guitar/vocals, Spence Murray on bass, Chris McGrew on drums, and Jordan Feinstein on piano/organ/vocals. This band captures the San Francisco music scene, ranging from rock to gospel to R&B to epic psychedelia. The band's raw energy along with Pamela's powerhouse pipes bring to mind Amy Winehouse and Ann Wilson. With guitar in hand, Pamela's voice cuts right to the heart as she takes the stage like a rock icon. Their dynamic show draws you close, then surges forward with anthemic power to lift you higher. They deliver an electrifying and emotional live show with irresistible dance grooves, dueling guitar leads and soulful ballads that hit home.
Peter Joseph Burtt & the King Tide (SUN)
Soulful World style Blues. Rootsy blend of old school analog tones. Down Home Afrobeat Soul. Peter Joseph Burtt is a lifelong drummer and singer/songwriter. His music draws from the many years he spent living and studying with master musicians of Africa. Much of his music is played on traditional instruments; the Lute, the Kora and the Mbira or thumb piano. He was completing a Master of Arts degree in San Francisco in creative writing and African drum and folklore when he began looking to cultures that maintain oral histories for connections between rhythm, music, and the spoken word. Upon learning of the melodious music of the Mbira and the corresponding poetry of the Shona people he travelled first to Zimbabwe, then Ghana and the Gambia, staying long in each place, living and moving within the society of the traditional musician while expanding his own musical vision.
Jimmy Leslie's Guitarfish Family Band (SUN)
Jimmy is a “freehand” guitarist with a funky roots-rock style, a soaring soulful singer, a multi-faceted writer, and co-founder of the Guitarfish Music Festival. Leslie’s artistic credits include the Honey Island Swamp Band, Shana Morrison, Visitor Jim, A Spirit Hustler, and his current original band, Jimmy Leslie & The Flow. He is also the leader of the Bay Area’s premier Allman Brothers tribute—the Allmond Brothers Clan. Leslie has interviewed everyone from members of the actual Allman Brothers Band to George Clinton, and jammed with the likes of Luther Dickinson and Papa Mali--you never know who may show up at his gigs!
Ideateam (FRI)
Ideateam is a 10-piece ensemble driven to fuse many influences together in a fresh way. Loaded with two guitars, bass, drums, percussion, brass section, and soulful vocals, the group explores the corridors of groove while flipping through styles like a deck of cards, flowing in and around various genres, noticeably leaning on the funk. They bring sounds old and new, blended with a few drops of extraterrestrial soundscapes - presented by a group of people who simply love to play music. Ideateam has shared the stage with several festival / tour circuit favorites (Orgone, Polyrhythmics, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Monophonics, Rubblebucket, Scott Pemberton Band...) and has been honored to open for legends such as Bernard Purdie and The Headhunters. The group seeks to continue evolving the live music experience they are quickly becoming known for, and further cultivating a positive connection with people through music. Keep an eye out for their upcoming third full studio album in Spring 2018! "
Lost Whiskey Engine (SUN)
Lost Whiskey Engine is a collective of progressive acoustic musicians from Truckee, California whose influences stem from traditional folk/bluegrass to free-form jam rock. Known for our traditional arrangements, original songwriting and high energy creative musical exploration, the band is sure to bring an old-time, feel good sound that'll get you singing along and dancing to the rhythm. As they say, you can hop on and off the Engine, but the Lost Whiskey just keeps chugging along!