Photo Courtesy of Nashville Scene
It’s time to step up to the plate Cincinnati, and rally around the local music scene. The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has teamed up with Sonicbids to give ten lucky bands the chance to perform at the festival this June.
Several of Cincinnati’s finest artists are hoping to spread their name to one of the biggest music festivals in the country, and they need your help now more than ever.
Here’s how the Bonnaroo Road to Roo Competition works:
All bands will have a song included on the official Road to Roo contest page from April 2 through April 16. Their songs will be promoted to hundreds of thousands of visitors, and the Top 10 artists will move on to the final judging round, where two bands will be selected by Bonnaroo’s music supervisors. There are eight more slots available for general consideration by clicking here. The top two bands that win will get $500 courtesy of Bonnaroo, $500 more as a match from Sonicbids, their bio included on the artist section of the official Bonnaroo website, and of course a slot at the festival this year alongside artists like Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, The Beach Boys, and many more.
ONE VOTE PER DAY THROUGH APRIL 16
Here’s a little bit about the Cincinnati bands competing in the contest:
Carole Walker (now based in Columbus, Ohio)
Cincinnati native Carole Walker has performed as a solo singer songwriter, in a duet, as the lead singer of a national touring band, and as a cast member in local musical theater productions. In the early part of her musical career, she was cast in several local music productions such as Little Shop of Horrors, Baby, and Barnum with Sunset Players and Showboat Majestic. In 1992, she founded “Heavy Weather” with her brother/bass player, the late Chris Walker, and fronted the band with her powerful vocals. The band played an amalgamation of genres including funk, rock, soul, reggae, and pop. They opened for a number of national acts including Fishbone, Kid Rock, Merrell Saunders, and Medeski, Martin & Wood.
Carole’s songwriting goes far beyond convention. She weaves her lyrics into a tapestry of spoken word, poems, and heartfelt songs all wrapped in her warm powerful voice. Her solo work led to the creation of “The Walker Project”, the second collaboration with her brother Chris.
Vote for Carole Walker
Elia Goat & the Natural Horns
Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, a city with a strong and continuing musical heritage, Elia Goat has been singing and writing songs for about ten years. He is a product of several different musical backgrounds, playing in jazz bands as well as more rock-oriented groups, and with experience presenting in the traditional singer-songwriter format as well as in more experimental structures.
The Natural Horns bring together a similar variety of musical experience to create a joyful mix of styles that combine into one unique and expressive sound. This ensemble harks back to the days when jazz, country, and the blues were all close kin, but with a modern indie approach and a dance sensibility that are sure to please.
Elia Goat & the Natural Horns combine accessible, slightly off-kilter songwriting with a dancy, strongly rhythmic approach for a folk/country/americana band that takes a broader approach than most. Jazz, blues and country all find their happy medium point in their music. Be ready to holler and wail!
Vote for Elia Goat & the Natural Horns
The Getaway
The Getaway is more than a band. These three 20-somethings have come together against great odds to become an instant pop/rock sensation. From bouts with cancer to overcoming being born blind, there’s not much this young band hasn’t gone through and overcome to have the opportunity to live out their dreams.
Diagnosed in November of 2006 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, drummer Nate Staggs was given a grim outlook. At the age of just twenty, Staggs was given a 30% chance to live. For ten months to follow, he endured pain that most of us can only begin to imagine. But through high dose chemotherapy and radiation, Staggs was able to kick cancer. What he didn’t know was that his fight wasn’t over yet.
Because of the intense chemo and radiation therapy, he developed what is known as avascular necrosis, which is the decrease of calcium in your bones. As a result, he landed back in the hospital four times for two hip and shoulder replacements. Now healthier than he’s been in almost six years, Staggs is finally ready to conquer his long time dream. “I told myself if I survived I was going to do everything I could to follow my dream of music. That alone drove me to keep my head above water and get through these hard times. Also, it inspires the positive messages in the music of The Getaway,” says Staggs.
Vote for The Getaway
Gold Shoes
Gold Shoes was formed in 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Their current lineup consists of MC Buggs Tha Rocka, Archie Niebuhr (vocals, guitar), Steven Shaefer (vocals, guitar, sax), Mike Weigand (vocals, keys), Kevin Johnson (bass) and Tony Kuchma (percussion). Fueled by the various musical backgrounds of the six members, Gold Shoes creates a collective sound that blurs the lines between hip-hop, rock, jazz and blues music.
Gold Shoes released their debut recording effort, the Gold Shoes EP, in November of 2009. The band has taken the stage in support of several national acts including Wiz Khalifa, Wale, Big Sean, Kings of Leon and the Black Keys; they have also performed for events sponsored by Landor International and CityBeat. The band began recording their first-full length album, the Gold Shoes LP, in the spring of 2011; it is schedule for release in April 2012. In October of 2011, Gold Shoes released the first single from their upcoming album, “Trade Your Wings,” online as well as producing a music video for the song. A second single and music video are scheduled to be released prior to the album debut.
Vote for Gold Shoes
The Harlequins
Always evolving, yet always the same.
Young veterans of the Cincinnati scene, The Harlequins write highly focused, soulful rock ‘n roll with an underlying movement of energy. Their songs often hook you in immediately, but at times can detour into completely unexpected psychedelic chaos. It’s pulled off without a hitch, as they never leave you wanting the goods for long.
This Cincinnati band puts on one of the most energetic and entertaining shows you’ll see. Soaring vocals. Twisting drums. Pounding rhythms. Think Syd Barrett crashing a concert by The Jam, with pop fireworks and a healthy dose of mayhem to keep you on your toes.
The Harlequins celebrated the release of their new EP “Midwest Coast” on Cincinnati’s Fountain Square on July 1, 2011, and also aired their music video for the title track to a crowd of 1,000 people.
On July 14, 2011, The Harlequins were chosen by the Black Lips and VICE Records to perform for Noisey Uncapped. Sponsored by vitaminwater, The Harlequins headlined a packed show at MOTR Pub in Over the Rhine and it was filmed by VICE. – CityBeat
Vote for The Harlequins
Incline District
Incline District is a musical outlet for three talented artists out of the west side of Cincinnati. JW Mitchell (guitar, vocals), and Frederik Kire (bass), have been with the band since the beginning of the band in 2009. Asher Kirkman (drums) has been with the band since 2010 and was recruited because he and JW took their trash out at the same time. They have been influenced by bands like Broken Social Scene, Dinosaur Jr., Ass Pony’s, Wussy, My Morning Jacket, and many more. Incline District strives to provide a unique and exciting live experience every time they take the stage.
Vote for Incline District
Ohio Knife
Ohio Knife is bombastic rock ‘n roll. Jason Snell’s raspy, two-toned vocals and trashy guitar using off-the-beaten-path tunings may be the driving force for this sonic onslaught – but that truck’s pulling a full load of ass-dropping drums and enough booming fuzzed-out organ to make you lose a filling. Snell, along with organist Andrew Higley and drummer Joe Suer, played together in two of Cincinnati’s indie darlings: Readymaid and The Chocolate Horse (TCH). TCH produced three albums, developing in both depth and number of band members. Meanwhile, Higley moved to Nashville to work with folks like Brendan Benson (Raconteurs), The Greenhornes, Ben Folds, and the Jim Jones Revue.
Vote for Ohio Knife
Philosopher’s Stone
Philosopher’s Stone cite a wide range of classic Rock and Indie influences (from Built to Spill to Dylan), but their sound is so novel that it’s refreshingly difficult to draw many direct comparisons to other artists. The group’s songs have a fluid, watery vibe that feels very organic and stream of consciousness. The band doesn’t write in an expected Pop format, eschewing the cookie-cutter verse-chorus style (which has its place) for an atmospheric appraoch that simply pours forth and develops naturally. The sound is also very rhythm-based, with Carrico’s jazzy scuffle beats and Laile’s slippery, serpentine bass lines being a crucial element to the overall sound, interweaving around Denham’s nibbling vocal style and chiming guitar work. Denham also proves himself an atypical Rock lyricist, having more in common with Romantic-era poets than, say, David Lee Roth. The dreamy feel that permeates the album leaves you a little dazed and entranced at the end of the listen, which is impressive in itself. Coupled with the subtle danceability of the music, The Goods and the Ills is one of those albums you might put on when you don’t want your late night/early morning to end. – Mike Breen, CityBeat circa 2001
Vote for Philosopher’s Stone
Sweet Ray Laurel
Sweet Ray Laurel began its formation in 2002, when bassist Kenny Potter confronted his friend and guitarist Eric “La Bohem” Boehmker at a Halloween party that Kenny’s then band – Jon E. Law – was playing that night. Within a week, they had started playing together and trying to find other musicians to complete the fold. After trying out a handful of singers and guitarists, they came across Jim Snowden, frontman of the previously disbanded local space-punk band Prick B. Mafia, in early 2003.
After writing a few new songs and taking songs from the former set list, they then started playing everywhere around the Cincinnati area. With their sound still evolving with more eclectic tastes ranging from aggressive soul to reggaa, ska, and world music progressions, while also experimenting with different kinds of flowing harmonies, they found their EP to be an inconsistent mix of songs that would not truly capture the essence of their live show.
Around summer of 2008, SRL recruited longtime friend and gifted musician Matt “Mattchu” Grone to join them on keyboards and synth and take their sounds into a more spacey direction and new level of intensity. During the recording sessions in late 2009, Eric decided to leave the band due to creative differences. This made the band have to refocus their ambitions and start anew. They immediately decided Mattchu would take over lead guitar while still playing keyboards, sometimes literally at the same time.
After taking a break from playing out to rejuvenate the band’s new form, Sweet Ray Laurel has released their self-titled album and is now setting up shows to promote the release. The album features old favorites in a different form like “Freight Train” and “Radio Down”, plus new songs such as “Gone” and “More” that accentuate their love for progressive time signatures and multi-layered orchestrations.
Vote for Sweet Ray Laurel
Trademark Aaron
Trademark Aaron is a hip-hop rap artist hailing from Florence, Kentucky. His rap career started in the high school classroom, passing battle rhymes as notes to other classmates. He didn’t know what to do with his writings until he found hip-hop. Months later he hit his first recording studio and hasn’t missed a beat since writing and recording tracks, performing live, and collaborating with other artists.
Trademark Aaron has an intelligent, honest, and relatable sound that’s accessible for the masses. Spitting solid punch lines, quick whit, and vivid stories depicting his thoughts and feelings of our world and himself. With three albums under his belt, The Sideshow, Make Room, and Prelude to Greatness – he’s proved he’s ready for “His spot under the bright lights.” Making music for the people, “I do this for y’all as much as I do it for me.” Trademark Aaron carries a positive togetherness attitude on his path to greatness.
Live, Trademark performs fire hot shows giving his audience everything he’s got. Big jumps, crowd chanting, freestyle acappellas, and spot on vocal performances while conducting the crowd, party, and atmosphere in every venue he plays. It’s a party when Trademark Aaron is in the building, the question is, are you ready to party?
Vote for Trademark Aaron
