Bindley Hardware Co. is a rust-belt Americana band from Pittsburgh, PA. They draw influence from classic country, folk and modern alt-country, as well as from the original Bindley Hardware Co., its namesake hardware store owned and operated by frontman Jon’s family during Pittsburgh’s industrial boom in the early 20th century. “To be able to make music or have any kind of creative endeavor that identifies where you’re from is really important. […] Things in Pittsburgh inspire me every day. The Bindley Hardware Co. has such a rich history and I’m kind of making it my own.”

The Wilson Springs Hotel are currently on tour with their second album “Old Thoughts & Memories”. It’s a collection of original songs that take you through a variety of influences; through slow & somber crooner country, to rippin’ honky tonk, to hard hitting folk influenced rock, thru almost psych-rock like guitar tones and back again, all while maintaining that watermark-like sonic fingerprint great bands possess. Their live show is not one to miss.

theCAUSE is a band consisting of 5 Pittsburgh musicians who have all been around the proverbial block.  Playing tunes from Grateful Dead, Phish, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and MORE, including some very tasty originals, theCAUSE packs a punch while still paying close attention to the delicate touch. The players are Eric “Pappy” Weingrad on guitar and vocals (Double Dose, Pappy’s Blues Junction), David Tauberg on bass and vocals (Powers Run Band, Hard to Handle, Cherylann Hawk),  Mike South on drums (Left for Dead, Sticky, West Park Road) and, joining us in 2008, Pittsburgh blues veteran Jill Paone Simmons brings a whole new dimension to theCAUSE on vocals and continues to rock with us today. Jill also fronts the all-female Dead band Brown Eyed Women .  Michael Cerveris is our permanent part time member playing keyboards (when he doesn’t have commitments with his other great band the Sun Champs)

 theCAUSE also has had the pleasure in 2012 and 2014 of having  guitarist Steve Kimock join us on stage and in 2013, 2015 ,2016 ,2017, 2018,2019, 2022 and 2023 Jeff Mattson of Dark Star Orchestra spent an evening jamming with theCAUSE! Lisa Ann Mackey from Dark Star Orchestra sang with us in 2017 ,2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023

We are beginning the practice of performing an annual show where we pick a Grateful Dead concert from 1965-1995 and attempt to recreate the entire setlist.  This has, of course been done by countless Grateful Dead cover bands, and we figured once a year would be just fine for us.  These shows will be announced about a week or two before the performance and, in true fashion, the show’s original date will not be announced until we finish playing it (or someone guesses correctly while we’re playing!)
Also, you will see theCAUSE appear as REUBEN’S PAINTED MANDOLIN once or twice a year.  When we announce a show under this monicker, prepare yourself for a full evening of material from the JERRY GARCIA BAND repertoire.  It’s always a great time.

Music has guided Driftwood to hallowed ground many times since its founding members, Joe Kollar and Dan Forsyth, started making music as high schoolers in Joe’s parents’ basement. Whether the Upstate New York folk rock group—which today also includes violinist Claire Byrne, bassist Joey Arcuri, and drummer Sam Fishman—are converting new fans on a hardscrabble tour across the country or playing to a devoted crowd at hero Levon Helm’s Woodstock barn, the band’s shapeshifting approach to folk music continues to break new ground. And yet in many ways Driftwood’s latest work, the transformative December Last Call, finds the group coming home. 

Recorded in that very same basement where the Driftwood dream began, December Last Call lyrically reflects on the recent past, musing on the ways the group grew up, together and apart, through curveballs like new parenthood or pandemic shutdowns. But sonically, the band’s sixth album looks confidently to the future, experimenting with new sounds while staying true to the bluegrass roots that built them. Across the album’s nine tracks, the band often leans into hard-rocking electric guitars and driving percussion: On “Every Which Way But Loose,” we get a foot-tapping beat and a sweeping chorus, and on “Up All Night Blues,” the band shines with an ambling, sing-along-able reflection on the challenges of new motherhood. But other tracks, like standout closer “Stardust,” take a simpler route, allowing bare-bones vocals and acoustic instrumentals to underpin a deeper emotional message.

One of Driftwood’s biggest differentiators—and perhaps its biggest strength—is the sheer breadth of talent in its lineup, with Claire, Joe, and Dan all contributing as songwriters and vocalists. This creative push-pull, where each selects songs to share with the group and record together, bakes vulnerability and collaborative spirit into every recording. “It’s at the heart of what we do,” says Dan. “Everybody has a strong love for songs, for songwriting, and we each appreciate everybody else and the way that they contribute to that.” 

While 2019’s acclaimed Tree of Shade tapped Simon Felice as producer, the band opted to self-produce this latest effort, leaning into their creative impulses and striving to capture their distinctive live energy. Figuring out how to channel that on-stage intensity into a recording has actually, in many ways, been a lesson in restraint. “When I look back at the things we were writing and playing, oh, I don’t know, 10, 12 years ago, they were really arranged: a lot of you do this here, we’re going to do this there, we’re going to break down, we’re going to do a big build,” Claire explains. “These days, it’s more like, ‘Let’s play the song and just see what happens.’”

This approach makes all the more sense when you consider Driftwood’s live shows, which operate not only as effervescent, twang-studded musical parties, but also as reunions for their throng of devoted listeners—folks who have started to feel less like fans and more like something bigger. “They’re supporters. They’re friends,” explains Joe. “It’s crazy how much love we’ve got and how many wild situations on the road we’ve gotten out of because of those people.” Many of them are quite literally invested in the band’s future: December Last Call was a crowd-funded effort, and it wasn’t the band’s first. It’s as if every listener, ticketbuyer, album backer, and general band evangelist is in on Driftwood’s biggest secret: this whole band thing has endured for nearly two decades because it offers a kind of community you can’t get just anywhere.

“Driftwood is basically a beautiful friendship that happens to play music together,” says Joe. “I know it’s rare. I know I’m lucky to know these people and lean on them and go through these massive life changes together.” For Driftwood, each song is like a journal entry: cathartic to create, yes, but capable of unlocking new lessons—and when shared—forging new bonds. “We’re communal, right? Humans need to be connected,” Joe says. “And we get to have this special thing.”

Jim Donovan and The Sun King Warriors are best described as a blend of rhythm heavy roots rock, with a strong dose of big barreling drums. Think bluesy Zeppelin-esqe bombast, Santana style percussion with wild Avett Brothers energy.

At a Sun King show, you can expect to dance, sweat and have the time of your life.

The band’s music has garnered radio airplay throughout the US and Canada, and has appeared on Billboard’s Americana chart multiple times.

The band plays regionally at festivals and clubs throughout the mid-atlantic and have opened for 10,000 Maniacs, Donovan’s former band Rusted Root and many others.

Jim Donovan, the band’s founder and writer brings almost three decades of experience to the Sun King Warriors. As a member of the popular 90’s band Rusted Root, he helped shaped the group’s sound and toured with legendary including The Grateful Dead, members of Led Zeppelin, Carlos Santana and the Allman Brothers.

He also co-authored the band’s biggest hit, “Send Me on My Way,” which has been streamed over 100 million times on Spotify and used as the wakeup music for NASA’s Mars rover.

Press quotes:

“Jim Donovan and Sun King Warriors are one of the most eclectic and exciting bands to come out in some time…” -The Washington Times
“Sun King Warriors channel unabashed enthusiasm into a series of songs that are both rowdy and rejuvenating…” -Relix Magazine

The Hypochondriacs are a six-piece powerhouse band hailing from Fredericton, New Brunswick, known for their genre-defying fusion of country, rockabilly, and unadulterated rock and roll. They’re making waves throughout North America with their electrifying live performances, leaving an indelible imprint on audiences.

Formed in 2015, The Hypochondriacs boasts a lineup of incredible musicians and prolific songsmiths. At the helm of The Hypochondriacs is lead vocalist and guitarist Josh Bravener. Known for his soulful voice and dynamic stage presence, Bravener infuses each performance with raw emotion and genuine charisma. His heartfelt lyrics explore themes of love, loss, and the trials of everyday life, resonating with listeners from all walks of life.
Supporting Bravener is an ensemble of extraordinary artists, each infusing The Hypochondriacs’ sound with their own unique flair: Jamie Guitar on bass, Kelly Waterhouse ( Saxophone and vocals), Jeannine Gallant (trombone/vocals), Connor Fox (lead guitar), and Andrew DeMerchant (drums).

The band is no stranger to the road, having toured extensively throughout Canada and the United States. Their energetic live shows and passionate performances have garnered them a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim. Recently having shared stages with artists such as Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, Corb Lund & Trooper, and The Reverend Horton Heat, to name a few. They have performed at festivals from SXSW in Austin Texas, Breakout West in Calgary Alberta, to Harvest Music Festival in their home town and everywhere in between.

They have been nominated for Recording of the Year in 2022 by Music New Brunswick, and in 2018, won 4 Music New Brunswick awards including Ablum of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, SOCAN Song of the Year, and Country Artist of the Year.

“Waitin’ shines, brightly. As a collection of songs, each of these nine tracks rely on the individual strength of the entire band to make them work. No one’s just along for the ride here. The album is sequenced in such a way that its R&B depth, its Stax Records lover’s appeal, and its embodiment of high performance Memphis soul confidently defines the first four of these nine songs. Bookended by two distinct odes to the groups’ country origins, Highway #2 and Gospel are the type of character-driven story songs that command a strong attention to the narrative, while Alone and Friends reinforce the group’s strength as a multi-musician force of nature. ” – Matt Carter
— Grid City Magazine

When Jeremy Pinnell releasedOH/KYin the summer of 2015 to stunned acclaim, it felt like an entire career compressed into one knock-out album. Hailed as, a “Mind-blowingly good” (Greg Vandy/KEXP) “ ”tutorial on classic country music” (Popmatters), Pinnell’s debut immediately differentiated as authentic and unflinching. Dogged touring through Europe and the States and celebrated radio sessions followed, cementing Pinnell’s position as a no-fuss master of his craft.

His 2017 album,Ties of Blood and Affectionpresented a canny lateral move. Instead of doubling down on the stark themes and values of his debut, the sophomore album found Pinnell finding comfort in his own skin, achieving the redemption only hinted at in his previous batch of haunted songs.

If the third time’s a charm, Pinnell is all shine and sparkle onGoodbye LA. Produced by Texan Jonathan Tyler, the tunes buff the wax and polish the chrome on Country music’s deeper roots. Rooted in his steady acoustic guitar,Pinnell’s songs are shot through with honest and classic elements. The rhythm section, all snap and shuffle, finds purpose in well-worn paths. The pedal steel and Telecaster stingers arrive perfectly on cue, winking at JP’s world-wise couplets . Here slippery organ insinuates gospel into the conversation. You can feel the room breathe and get a sense of these musicians eyeballing each other as their performances are committed to tape. And through it all comes this oaken identity, the devastating centerpiece of his work. Honest and careworn, Jeremy’s voice can touch on wry, jubilant, and debauched – all in a single line.At his best, Jeremy Pinnell chronicles the joy and sorrow of being human, which is the best that anyone could do.

theCAUSE is a band consisting of 5 Pittsburgh musicians who have all been around the proverbial block.  Playing tunes from Grateful Dead, Phish, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and MORE, including some very tasty originals, theCAUSE packs a punch while still paying close attention to the delicate touch. The players are Eric “Pappy” Weingrad on guitar and vocals (Double Dose, Pappy’s Blues Junction), David Tauberg on bass and vocals (Powers Run Band, Hard to Handle, Cherylann Hawk),  Mike South on drums (Left for Dead, Sticky, West Park Road) and, joining us in 2008, Pittsburgh blues veteran Jill Paone Simmons brings a whole new dimension to theCAUSE on vocals and continues to rock with us today. Jill also fronts the all-female Dead band Brown Eyed Women .  Michael Cerveris is our permanent part time member playing keyboards (when he doesn’t have commitments with his other great band the Sun Champs)

 theCAUSE also has had the pleasure in 2012 and 2014 of having  guitarist Steve Kimock join us on stage and in 2013, 2015 ,2016 ,2017, 2018,2019, 2022 and 2023 Jeff Mattson of Dark Star Orchestra spent an evening jamming with theCAUSE! Lisa Ann Mackey from Dark Star Orchestra sang with us in 2017 ,2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023

We are beginning the practice of performing an annual show where we pick a Grateful Dead concert from 1965-1995 and attempt to recreate the entire setlist.  This has, of course been done by countless Grateful Dead cover bands, and we figured once a year would be just fine for us.  These shows will be announced about a week or two before the performance and, in true fashion, the show’s original date will not be announced until we finish playing it (or someone guesses correctly while we’re playing!)
Also, you will see theCAUSE appear as REUBEN’S PAINTED MANDOLIN once or twice a year.  When we announce a show under this monicker, prepare yourself for a full evening of material from the JERRY GARCIA BAND repertoire.  It’s always a great time.

Formed in 2016, Smilo and the Ghost have been delivering hard-driving, old-time influenced folk-rock to crowds around the Northeast. Their debut album, Ghost Writers, was voted one of the “Top Three Albums of 2018” by the Erie Reader. Since then, Smilo and the Ghost have opened for national acts like Grammy Award Winning country duo Dan + Shay and alt-rock legends 10,000 Maniacs. 

The band’s recording and performing personnel have included a “who’s who” of regional talent, currently condensed down to the core lineup: 

Tyler Smilo – Guitar, Vocals

Adam McKillip – Mandolin, Vocals 

Jassen Wilber – Bass Guitar

Dominick DeCecco- Banjo, Vocals

Smilo’s emotionally charged lyrics and vocals are backed up by the virtuosity of Wilber (who has toured the world with American blues guitarist Bernard Allison) and McKillip. Their setlist moves between gritty, hard-luck foot stompers like “Nothing’s Changed” and “Big Guns” to triumphant ballads like “Save Me” and “There’s Nothing Left.” All of which are highlights of Smilo & the Ghost live shows. The band’s songs share Americana country/rock DNA with Trampled by Turtles, Dawes, and Ryan Bingham, while maintaining a voice all their own. The recent addition of DeCecco on banjo has allowed for a deeper exploration of the band’s bluegrass and country chops. These old-timey roots are on full display in their  highly-anticipated album, Fingers Crossed and Godspeed, which has been selected as one of Erie Reader’s “Top Three Albums of 2021.”  The band isn’t sitting still, though, also recording a live album in early 2022. Smilo and the Ghost combine songs meant for singing and dancing with charismatic, high-energy performing on stage. They’re as comfortable on the main stage as they are in the corner of a local bar and shouldn’t be missed at either venue.

“This band is therapy for me to bring myself back to being a better person, and I hope people come along with me,” says powerhouse singer Clinton Clegg of The Commonheart. The testimonial begins on August 16th when the 9-piece band issues its most potent and purposeful dose of grittily redemptive rock n’ soul, its sophomore album, Pressure (Jullian Records).

Clinton didn’t grow up in a Baptist church, and his soul machine of a band isn’t pushing religion. Live and in the studio, the Pittsburgh-based collective is offering feel-good positivity, Golden Rule messaging, and sweat-soaked performances that nimbly ease through blues, vintage soul, and rock.

The nonet is bonded by familial-like ties and a desire to foster spiritual uplift. Among its ranks are female backup singers, drums, bass, guitar, a horn section, and keyboards. Out front is Clinton, a lightning bolt charismatic front man with dynamically expressive pipes that effortlessly traverse bluesy pleading, and honeyed balladeering. Onstage and in the studio, Clinton evokes B.B. King, Al Green, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke.

The Commonheart is known to have transformative powers. Case in point is the band’s own singer. During one gig, while singing “Do Right” from Pressure, Clinton experienced a revelation.

“Seeing the audience’s reaction to the positivity in that song made me feel like I was giving them something they may need.” He pauses thoughtfully, and then continues: “You know blues music is sad as hell, but it makes you feel good. I thought maybe my bad stories could make people feel good, and I could bring a little bit of love to the show.”

Previously, Clinton was in an eclectic indie band searching for some semblance of artistic focus. He had grown up loving B.B. King and soul music, and recognized the strength of his raspy emotive voice. After some soul searching, he and that band’s drummer decided to do a back-to-basics band centered around Clinton’s singing and a vintage R&B-informed aesthetic. At first the band’s name was a casual variant of The Commonwealth, as in “The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” but the moniker later accrued significance as the band began to explore the pent-emotionality inherent in its gospel-tinged tunes.

The Commonheart’s latest album, Pressure, is both rugged and refined. The 10-song album showcases raw-nerve soul musicianship pristinely recorded. The opening track boasts soulful sandpaper-y lead vocals, swoops of cosmic slide guitar, a driving Sly Stone groove, and rousing female backup vocals. It’s an up-against-a-wall tune about making a living while raising a family, and it speaks to the album’s title. The bluesy ballad title track, replete with pleading emotive vocals, drips yearning and melancholy redemption. “That’s about the daily grind—what it takes to maintain important relationships while you’re away from home, driving thousands of miles in van to pursue a dream,” Clinton confesses.

A spirit of a new-day optimism courses through the aptly titled “Different Man.” The song soars with stirring group backup vocals punctuated by Clinton’s vulnerable confessions. It’s a rousing and uplifting slice of R&B brimming with warm organs, clipped soul-guitar chanks, and triumphant horn melodies. “That song is about begging for a second chance, and building something beautiful after a sordid past,” Clinton reveals.

Pressure is an album by a band on a mission. “We are willing to take risks and to go at any lengths for this band,” Clinton says affirmatively. “We are ready to spread positivity and make a stretch of this thing.”

Pangs of sweet regret, everybody got ’em
But pangs do not a true assessment make…

These words from “Days Fly Away,” one of 12 new Bill Deasy compositions on the first Gathering Field record in a dozen years, reflect the band’s “don’t look back” attitude.

“I think we all feel this is an opportunity to hear what we sound like right now, not how we sounded way back when,” lead guitarist Dave Brown observes. “This is very much about the present moment.”

One listen to the band’s new release, “Wild Journey,” and the truth of Dave’s statement becomes evident. Yes, there is something familiar there, the indefinable chemistry that hooked a legion of fans the first time around, but there is a new-found depth, a spark of wisdom, a heightened awareness. The result is a sound that is as it was, only more so, and then some.

For the past 14 years, Full Cord Bluegrass has been making a name for themselves blending traditional bluegrass music with jazz, western swing, and rock n’ roll while keeping the traditional bluegrass feel alive and well. These influences make every performance memorable and unique.