Happy Birthday Tempest!!!

Tempest - Original Lineup

Fasten your seat belts, Tempest Fans! Yep, we're bringing together the very first group, and re-creating the wild sounds that first brought us together, back in the day… This lineup has not been on stage (or any other location) together since they performed with Fairport Convention in Santa Cruz in April of 1989!

Tempest - Serrated Edge Lineup

This is the band that recorded our second album, 'Serrated Edge' and helped to shape and form the sound known as 'Celtic Rock'. This was also the lineup that added fiddle to our ensemble, and first introduced Tempest Fans to the young and innocent violinist from Fresno, Michael Mullen!

Tempest - Today
www.tempestmusic.com

The Serb
From the upcoming release 'Prime Cuts'

What more can we say? 'Now is the moment of power,' as the Huna tradition says! There is nothing like the present time. After the 'Tempest Time Machine' returns to Nowsville, Michael, Adolfo, James, Damien and Lief plan to 'rock your socks off'!
Based in Northern California, Tempest is recognized as a driving force in the modern folk-rock movement. Fusing traditional material with high-energy rock intensity, the band is renowned for its dynamic and electrifying concerts.

Please Note; You will also be able to catch these rascally rascals performing a special Acoustic Set on Sunday afternoon!
(read more...)

Those Darn Accordions
www.thosedarnaccordions.com

Back in Black
from the 'Squeeze Machine' CD

Those Darn Accordions has evolved over the years to become today what we consider one of the most original, entertaining, musically interesting and lyrically smart bands in the country. Headed by accordionist/singer Paul Rogers, with his immense songwriting skills (who also writes some of the funny/clever songs for The Christmas Jug Band as well), Those Darn Accordions also features three fantastic accordion toting singers Susie Davis (who has backed up Prince, Sheila E. among many others), Carrie Abrahms (professional classical singer) and longtime TDA’er Suzanne Garramone. Backed by the bass and drum rhythm section of Lewis Wallace and Michael Messer, TDA plays everything from original songs that are both funny and weird but with a real point, to accordion versions of classic rock tunes, to straight ahead Polkas. Their sterling vocal harmonies and their sense of humor just won't quit, as this one-of-a-kind band blazes through these dizzying variety of musical genres. You really won't believe your ears.

Fishtank Ensemble
www.fishtankensemble.com

Saraiman
from the 'Samurai Over Serbia' CD

Fishtank Ensemble is a lively group offering a unique blend of Romanian folk music and other colorful elements -- Gypsy, Balkan, Flamenco, Klezmer, and Swedish folk music, Gypsy jazz and and original tunes. The arrangements are delightful and feature instruments from many countries such as violin, accordion, flamenco and gypsy jazz guitar, shamisen, contrabass, percussion, saw and voice. From the smoky cafes of Bucharest to the Gypsy caravans of yesterday, Fishtank Ensemble evokes the spirit of a past age with the sounds of tomorrow.

Incendio
www.incendioband.com

Vamos Ya
from the 'Dia y Noche' CD

Incendio’s richly textured music is rooted in myriad sources: Carbé’s flamenco and classical training, Durand’s Peruvian heritage, Stubblefield’s European travels and musical collaborations with Kuwaiti oud maestro Waleed Hamad, not to mention Durand’s penchant for rock-style dramatics and Stubblefield’s lightning-fingered jazzfusion mastery. Carbé’s deceptively graceful bass playing grounds Durand and Stubblefield’s dazzling twin-guitar attack, resulting in adrenalizing sonic explorations that take on greater dimension when they call in pals like longtime drummer Joe Shotwell (now residing in Napa), powerhouse tour drummer Tom Brechtlein (Chick Corea, Robben Ford, and Eric Johnson) and percussionist Scott Breadman (from the Rippingtons).

Plasterkatz
www.myspace.com/plasterkatz

The Cuckoo
from the 'Past Due' CD

Based in Northern California, Plasterkatz is a feisty collective, rising on the foaming tide of indie powerpop. These frisky kats specialize in an upbeat brand of music that really gets crowds jumping. Fusing original rock with traditional music from the more colorful corners of the universe, the band is notorious for delivering a soundscape that really refreshes!

The Anderson Family Bluegrass Band
www.andersonfamilybluegrass.com

I Hear a Choo Choo Comin'
from an upcoming release

The Grass Valley California-based Anderson Family, with its four youngsters ages 6 to 13, has been performing as a band with the sounds of traditional bluegrass music since early 2005, and this six-member family is delighting audiences everywhere.

Singing most of the lead is Paige (13), with Aimee (11) and Ethan (9) singing harmony and occasional lead. Paige is an accomplished flat-picker on the guitar, picking out great leads and solid rhythm for the band. Both Aimee on fiddle and Ethan on mandolin do an excellent job with solos and backup, and Daisy (6) saws away at her little fiddle and is now providing a 4th harmony part in some of the band's songs. Mom (Christy) provides the solid stand-up bass beat and Dad (Mark) supplies the bluegrass banjo drive to the group.

The Sierra Spiral Dancers are an American Tribal Fusion Belly Dance Troupe. As an ever-evolving caravan of performers, you can expect to see dancers that include all ages and come from a variety of dance backgrounds. Troupe Director "Neshamah" has been dancing for over 30 years. With 11 years of Turkish and Egyptian-focused training and a diverse continuing education of workshops and classes, her choreography creates the stunning foundation of their performances. With music and dances that transcend cultural barriers, the Sierra Spiral Dancers perform intricate group and solo dances armed with a variety of props including veils, swords and zills to create a truly extraordinary experience.

Controlled Burn is a troupe of talented fire performance artists, formed in the year 2000, whose true passion is fire. They hail from the diverse Truckee Meadows region of Northern Nevada, and enjoy presenting their trademark offerings of very large flame. Further defined by a cast of troupe members from all walks of life, they thrill audiences with the intentional interaction between fire and the humans attempting to create vivid and moving work with a living medium.

Siamsa
http://www.siamsa.net

Siamsa le Cheile's earliest roots go back to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire at Black Point Forest in Marin, circa the late 1970s and early 1980s, when several of the troupe's "vintage" members performed with Clan Colin, the Guilds of St. Patrick's and St. Brigid's, and Patti Blanco's Merry Pryanksters.

The first incarnation of Siamsa le Cheile by that name was as an Irish dance and stage combat show, with the odd Scottish dance tossed in. While our current Scots are still very odd, we think the Irish dancers may yet still have them beat for pure devilry.

Siamsa le Cheile in its present form was born at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire at the Nut Tree, in Vacaville, in the late 1990s, and has been growing progressively more interesting ever since. The troupe's current repertoire includes modern lightshoe and hardshoe Irish step, oldstyle step, ceili dance, set dance, Highlands, National dances, Scottish country dance, Cape Breton step, instrumentals and songs both old and modern, mouth music, and juggling (yes, juggling). The troupe is known to perform in Renaissance, Victorian, or modern costume.

In Irish Gaelic, siamsa means - 'a warm fuzzy feeling'

Trey Cromwell
www.treycromwell.com

Trey Cromwell will dazzle and amaze you with his own, unique brand of magical entertainment. Whether performing closeup magic, or, indeed, any of his many crunchy signature antics -- Trey charms crowds with the skill and humor of a true showman . . . you'll laugh right out loud!

Piper Jason McKinney

The Wicked Piper, Jason McKinney, is a resident of Auburn, and for years he's been carrying on the tradition of the Great Highland Bagpiper, all over Northern California. Jason was originally inspired to play the pipes by award-winning Scottish Highland Bagpiper, Aaron Shaw, of Wicked Tinkers fame -- no doubt you'll recall Wicked Tinkers as those wacky kilted fellas, makers of rhythmic Scottish mayhem, who've graced our Karfluki Fest stage in years past. This year we are very lucky to have The Wicked Piper open our gates on Saturday and Sunday!