VINEGAR CREEK CONSTITUENCY & CORTY BYRON
Double header from Pennsylvania
VINEGAR CREEK CONSTITUENCY
and
CORTY BYRON
Fri 29th & Sat 30th Aug. Tickets available from Whelanslive.com or Tickets.ie
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VINEGAR CREEK CONSTITUENCY
American songs are full of deranged old ghosts howling at the moon. Vinegar Creek Constituency, an eclectic, incendiary string band out of the PA Dutch Country, channels these venerable old ghosts of the American folk tradition through imaginative, emotive original songs delivered with rock n roll intensity. Full of shouting, floorboard-stomping soul, their live performances are uplifting, high-energy events with fans dancing in the aisles and clapping, stomping, and singing along.
Like their folksong forerunners that took root around campfires and on back porches across America, the songs call out from the crossroads of light and darkness. They are dreams of Heaven alongside visions of Hell; songs in praise of love alongside tales of murder and the madness of lovers betrayed; songs that ride the rails, wander the countryside, rise from the grave, and cackle in the face of impending doom.
The musicians of Vinegar Creek Constituency come from diverse musical backgrounds that range from formal Classical performance to experimental garage Rock to traditional Old Time Appalachian string band music to Gypsy Jazz. Consequently, the band’s sound encompasses elements of many styles, including super-charged bluegrass, early Sun Records-era rock’n’roll, swing, vaudeville, outlaw country, and ragtime.
The Vinegar Creek Constituency was first conceived in 2005 by DiSanto, a Lancaster Pennsylvania singer/songwriter then fronting an experimental garage rock band. The group’s first (and for a long time only) show was at Lancaster’s Chameleon Club opening for Appalachian guitar legend Larry Keel (who sat in with VCC for a Bill Monroe tune). All of the band members were with other groups at the time, and the Constituency played only a few sporadic shows in the Lancaster area in their first few years. But by the Spring of 2008, the musicians of VCC had begun to approach the project with increased focus and commitment.
In May of 2008 VCC traveled to Cumberland, MD performing in and winning the first annual Delfest band competition, an event that became a catalyst for the band’s already-growing creative energy. Their eponymous debut album was released in October 2008. The follow up album, Angel of the Last Waltz, was released in May 2010. Both albums were engineered, produced, and released by the band members themselves and feature all original material;Don’t Go Back In Time, the band’s 3rd full-length, all-original studio album, was released in January 2013 and entered the Top 40 in the Folk Radio Airplay chart in October of that year.
The Vinegar Creek Constituency currently performs in clubs, theaters, and festivals in an ever-expanding range throughout the US- as the full 5-piece band or as the powerful, hard-traveling Vinegar Creek Constituency Duo- headlining, opening for, or sharing festival stages with legends, luminaries, and notables of numerous genres of American music, from rock to bluegrass to country. Some of these include: Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Larry Keel, Railroad Earth, Richard Thompson, Sara Evans, Langhorne Slim, Todd Rundgren, David Bromberg, Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek), John Cowan (of Newgrass Revival), The Carolina Chocolate Drops, David Grier, The Hackensaw Boys, and Hoots and Hellmouth.
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CORTY BYRON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z3zR7qLHno
At 27 years old, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter, Corty Byron has been active as a musician for over a decade. He released two solo projects (2011‘s “Histrionic EP” & 2010’s “Endless North”), opened for / performed with artists like Gregg Allman, The Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason, Bruce Hornsby, The Gin Blossoms, Hot Tuna, Jimmy Vivino… and has become a fixture of his hometown Central Pennsylvania music scene, as well as being a seasoned road hound, gigging his way from Manhattan to Memphis, Austin to Vegas and all points in between. In late 2011 Corty relocated to Venice, CA and spent the following year performing up and down the coast and across the state, including venues such as The Viper Room, House Of Blues and Saint Rocke. His style has shifted from swampy vintage rock and soulful acoustic based Americana to song driven psychedelic indie pop/rock. Work has already begun on an upcoming full length album, that will feature all new original material written in the past year while on the road and living in California.
Cortlan “Corty” Alan Byron II started his life in music at a very early age. While most of his High School classmates were gearing up for a driver’s license, Corty was busy writing songs and trying to figure out Hendrix licks on his guitar. His father, Cortlan Byron Sr. (a veteran musician in his own right) laid the foundation for his son’s music growth and can still be seen performing with him today. Byron’s self education of classic rock set him apart from many of the younger musicians cropping up around him. By age 16 he had formed a band called, The Green Onions. Over the next few years, the group gained popularity in the local music scene, made two full length original albums (“The Green Onions” in 2005 and “Down The Drain” in 2007) and could be seen performing with many national artists.
As time passed, Byron’s songwriting abilities became more refined, mature and introspective. In the summer of 2009 he demoed much of the material that would make up his first solo album, “Endless North” (released April 2010 ) at Sun Studios in Memphis, TN. The album flows with delicate lyrical precision, refreshing guitar tones, eerie imagery and intense raunchy 70’s based rock.
In October 2001, Corty released a three song EP titled, “Histrionic” and set out on a 40 day cross country gigging trip, finally basing him in Venice, CA. Over the following year, Corty quickly became a familiar face in various live music venues throughout the Los Angeles area. Whether he was fronting a 7 piece blues band, roaring with a heavy power trio, or making his mark as a dynamic solo acoustic artist, his time in Southern California proved to be an experience unparalleled before, in the wealth of musical knowledge and creativity gained while living and performing there.
Corty is currently working on his most anticipated and ambitious original project to date. An abundant amount of new material written during the cross country road trip and year on the beach has already been demoed and selected for release. Studio sessions are set to begin in Lancaster, PA in early 2013.
TICKETS
€10 available online from WAV Tickets [Lo-Call 1890 200 078] (50c per ticket service charge applies on phone, internet or creditcard bookings from WaV) or from Tickets.ie HERE
After 8pm strictly over 18′s, I.D. may be required.
AFTER THE GIG
Whelan’s Indie Club w/ Late Bar from 10:30pm or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue (FREE ENTRY, 12am).