Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present Dustbowl Revival, a Venice, California-based roots collective that merges old school bluegrass, gospel, jug-band, swamp blues and the hot swing of the 1930’s, plus the Vermont-based Americana duo Laura Molinelli and Ben Campbell at Next Stage on Saturday, January 24 at 7:30 pm.
Known for their inspired live sets, the Dustbowl Revival boldly brings together many styles of traditional American music. Some call it string band-brass band mash up. Imagine Old Crow Medicine Show teaming up with Louis Armstrong’s Hot Fives and Sevens, or Bob Dylan and The Band jamming with Benny Goodman and his orchestra in 1938. It’s infectious, joyous music – a youthful take on time-worn American traditions by the “Best Live Band in LA” – LA Weekly.
Since founder Z. Lupetin came west from Chicago to get the circus started, the group has grown steadily from a small string band playing up and down the west coast into a traveling mini orchestra featuring fiddle, mandolin, trombone, clarinet, trumpet, ukulele, drums, tuba, organ, a bass made from a canoe oar, harmonica and plenty of washboard and kazoo for good luck. After placing several songs on ABC and Fox, and having tunes featured in independent films like “Made In China” (winner of SXSW), winning Americana song of the year from the Independent Music Awards (Tom Waits judging), playing festivals like Outside Lands and Live Oak and opening for bands like Lake Street Dive, Rebirth Brass Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Trombone Shorty, the band began barnstorming more extensively across the USA.
Singer/songwriter Laura Molinelli has released five albums, and has shared the stage with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, John Gorka, The Band and NRBQ. Multi-instrumentalist Ben Campbell toured for two years with Circus Smirkus as a member of the House Band and has collaborated with many notable Vermont musicians and groups, including Anais Mitchell. Molinelli and Campbell are both members of the southern Vermont-based bluegrass band The Bondville Boys.
Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $16 Advance / $18 At the Door. For information, call 802-387-0102. Advance tickets are available at www.nextstagearts.org, Turn It Up in Brattleboro and Offerings Jewelry in Putney. Katy’s will provide a beer and wine cash bar. For more information, visit www. dustbowlrevival.com, www.lauramolinelli.com, www.lonelyhiway.com, www.twilightmusic.org and www.nextstagearts.org.