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The KingArthur.com film crew will be conducting interviews and recording performances at the Pet Zoo Music Festival September 25 and 26, 2009.

The line-up includes:
The Heavy Pets
The Heavy Pets are a traveling American Rock ‘n’ Jam band that are best known for their explosively challenging live performances.

Splintered Sunlight
The most popular Grateful Dead tribute band in the Philadelphia area with a playlist of over 200 songs.

The Happy Dog
A psychedelic rock band made out of people.

J.Smooth
Prepare yourself for a mind melting explosion of sound from the one and only Drum n’ Bass extraordinaire!

The Fat Mannequins
An acoustic guitar duo from South Florida that will leave you mystified.

Long Miles
Self-described as “the old school and the new school and the school nobody knows”.

Slo-Mo
Slo-Mo blends a variety of influences, from rap, soul and gospel to pop, rock and jazz.

Wineskin
Wineskin deconstructs the American musical landscape and draws on it’s rich heritage and genres.

Mad-Sweet Pangs
Delivering high-energy performances and an eclectic mix of musical influences, ranging from folk to blues.

Veinmelter
Original Funk Rock blending dynamic grooves with fresh intelligent lyrics and swinging guitar hooks.
Newton Crosby
This experiment in sound draws inspiration from from 80’s New Wave and Pop, to the early 90’s rave culture, contemporary jambands, and Hip-Hop.

The Mystery Cats
A dynamic, jam-oriented musical group based in Somerset, New Jersey that blends original material with some of the great rock n’ roll of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s

Steal the Breeze
Steal The Breeze plays Original New-Wave Rock N’ Roll, along with classic rock covers from Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead.

DJ Tony D
Tony D’Amato is a DJ, producer and bassist from Wilmington, Delaware.

For tickets, information and directions: http://petzoofestival.com/

Morrisville, Pa — As the name suggests, The Stir Fry Music Revival served up a heaping portion of good times and music with “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.” Whether it was some bluegrass and funky folk or rock mixed with reggae and roots, the bands were cooking.

A festival can offer a unique opportunity. For a regular show, the band comes in, does their thing, packs and goes home; however, a festival allows bands to interact with each other. There were many of these amazing interchanges at Stir Fry. One of them occurred as soon as the first band finished their set. DotMan was on the main stage MC-ing between bands. Tin Bird Choir was setting up for their set on the second stage. DotMan started singing what appeared to be an impromptu song, “The Stir Fry Blues”. The lead singer from Tin Bird Choir turned her soundcheck into a harmonizing session with DotMan. Not only were two great musicians having a cosmic collision, it was also made available for an audience to experience.

Another example of what can be found in a Stir Fry mix is “Josh The Bassist”.
Q: How often does a musician get to play three sets with three different bands for the same audience?
A; Only at an event like Stir Fry.
For the Friday evening crowd, Josh played bass with Tin Bird Choir, Manatawny Creek Ramblers and Frog Holler. When he was finished, I caught up with him to shake his hand, “That must be tough. Most people can not make it through one show. You did it with not just one or two, but you did it with three different bands. And, with Manatawny Creek Ramblers, you played a stand-up bass!” Josh replied, “Thank you. I suppose that is unusual to be able to play that long with diverse bands. And, yes, you are right. The hardest part was carrying the stand-up bass through the parking lot.”

There are so many simultaneous things going on at a festival. It is difficult to take them all in, yet that special Stir Fry ingredient could be found throughout. If you were performing and looked out, you could see your idols in the audience. J.R., keyboardist for Wide Eyed Mother Brothers was performing when he spotted someone in the audience. He stopped and pointed out to the crowd, “Do you see this guy? This guy right here? He taught me everything I know about playing keyboards.”

These kinds of cosmic collisions happened all weekend long. You might have witnessed Si Senorita in the audience being “wowed” by DotMan’s harmonica playing, spotted Steal The Breeze in the audience dancing to Si Senorita or heard the Dirty White Boys playing unplugged in the campground at Bob’s Country Bunker. It did not matter exactly where at the festival you were. You were bound to enjoy an experience like these. All that mattered — you were there.

It is too bad every day can not be stir-fried, at least we can look forward to next year.

Photos, Videos, Reviews and Interviews

Old Pool Farm, Schwenksville, PA — The Philadelphia Folk Festival is an interesting experience. You never know what you will see… or hear. This works both ways — from the audience looking toward the stage or from the stage looking at the audience. It probably has the largest ratio of musicians that are in the audience than any other concert venue.

Thus, my surprise to see Get The Led Out scheduled for the special Thursday evening “Exclusive Camp Concert” that is put on for the overnight campers. What the heck was a band that bills themselves as the American Led Zeppelin doing at the Folk Fest? The must have been intimidating for the band:
1) They play songs that people know, so they have to play flawlessly.
2) They are to perform heavy rock music to a folk crowd.
3) Many in the audience are talented musicians.
4) They followed two talented folk bands, Jill Sobule and Deer Tick.

You would think that they would go over like a lead balloon? No. Le contraire. As soon as they started playing, people began flocking to the stage. Before long, there was standing room only. The crowd joined in and sang every song. Looking at the people standing next to you would cause you to pause. A mother dancing next to her daughter. People of all ages having the time of their life. In fact, it’s the only Folk Fest performance that I can remember hurting my ears.

As the show progressed, it felt like the audience and performers were feeding off each other. The crowd’s energy feeding the band, and in return the band’s energy feeding the audience. Only at the Folk Fest could such a miracle take place.

Get The Led Out Concert Photo Gallery

Stir Fry Photo Gallery

The Stir Fry Music Revival will take place August 28 and 29 at Snipes Farm in Morrisville, PA. (890 West Bridge Street)

The line up of bands includes:
Brothers Past
Frog Holler
Turbine
Splintered Sunlight
The Hustle
Si Senorita
The Coyotes
Psychedelphia
Old Blotter
Manatawny Creek Ramblers
Steal The Breeze
Dr. Fish & Friends
Tin Bird Choir
Newtown Creek
Dirty White Boys
Pete Kranz & the Wide-Eyed Mother Brothers
Members Of Sage
American Babies featuring Scott Metzger, Kevin Kendrick, Jim Hamilton, Joe Russo and Tom Hamilton
Strange Sun
Dirk Quinn Band
The Godinez Brothers
Jay D Clark

For more information visit: stirfryproductions.com

I asked:
How were the XPN concerts? Did you get to see They Might Be Giants? I always wanted to see them live.

Rick Replied:
I like the XPN Festival….new mixed with old…..Steve Forbert was great. They Might Be Giants were funny and quirky…..not sure I’d buy their records but they sure could play. Aimee Mann was very subtle. Dug Louden Wainright III. Only band I didn’t get to see that I wanted to was Guster…..big storm was blowing in and we were really tired after 3 full days. We caught it on the radio. Pete Yorn was great.