Los Angeles singer-songwriter Ben Kenney began experimenting with music at such a young age that he was more than prepared to land a spot with the most coveted hip-hop acts of the century – The Roots. His resume became even more impressive when left the Roots in 2003 to join the then-emerging alternative rock band, Incubus, after their bassist Alex Katunich decided to leave the group.

With his wide-ranging background of hip-hop and rock, Kenney journeyed off to self-discovery soon after joining Incubus. Kenney is now promoting his third album, "Distance and Comfort," on which he defines solo act by singing and playing multiple instruments, including drums, bass and guitar. "Distance and Comfort" comes from a darker place in Kenney's creative mind with different points of inspiration, but tight guitar riffs, drum beats and urban rhythms still remain a signature.

DJ Kilmore joined Incubus after their former DJ also left the group, making his name with the band after the release of “Make Yourself”, which gained wide popularity with such singles as “Pardon Me,” “Stellar,” and “Drive”. But like Kenney, DJ Kilmore also aims to explore his own music beyond the group, as the two have been touring together performing some of their solo work since January.

We are privileged to have two members of Incubus join us for an intimate and unforgettable night. And even though these guys are used to selling out stadiums across the world, they still enjoy playing for fans no matter how small the venue. "It is so fulfilling to play, whether it's 10,000 people or 100 people, and I'm lucky to get to do both," says Kenney. Well, we feel pretty lucky, too!

Tickets will be available to the public on Monday, March 10th. LIMIT four tickets (4) per customer.

ACOUSTIC REGGAE

Bumper Crop took the last 8 weeks of 2007 off to prepare for an exciting 2008 year with shows everywhere and anywhere. Formed in March of 2007 with the addition of Joe on drums Bumper crop had a great rookie year and is looking to improve the empire with a dynamite sophomore year.While living in Lake Tahoe, CA Dusty played bass in Horsemouth, a reggae style band based out of the cali community. However the Mid-West is where Dusty called home and back with him he brought the thick, rhythmic bass lines that fill this album. In Bumper Crop it's three pieces and the reason their music sounds so full of life is really attributed to this strong rhythm section found in Dusty and Joe. On Vocal and Guitar, Craig Smith. No stranger to the stage Craig's work hard play hard approach translates into a wild performance. He seemingly enjoys the challenge of spitting out tongue twisting rhymes, dancing around, and jamming the licks. Joe is an explosive drummer with crazy fills and tight beats. He's exciting to watch and sounds great live.

JAZZ

Bell earned the title "The Jazz Professor" for his long career as a jazz and blues music educator at the College of Almeda, the University of California at Berkley, and at Stanford University. Many of his former students have gone on to enjoy successful careers in the jazz and pop music industries.

Bell is also a successful performer in his own right, getting his professional start playing the nightclubs of Rock Island, Illinois at the age of seventeen. Throughout his career he has performed widely in the United States and Europe, and he has worked with artists such as Nancy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Lou Rawls, the Supremes, Louie Bellson, Clark Terry, and Art Farmer.

In 1967, Bell directed the choir for one of Duke Ellington's sacred concerts at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and he also impressed the famed jazz bandleader with his piano skills. Released on his Jazz Professor Records label, Bill Bell's albums “The Jazz Professor” and “Just Swing Baby” feature original compositions that blend the many styles—jazz, blues, fusion, swing, gospel, and Latin—that he has explored throughout his long career.

BLUES

Kent Johnson Burnside (Lead Guitar & Vocals), and some new additions, Ren Olstrand (Rhythm Guitar), Jacob Best (Drums). Rich Wilcox (violin and harmonica) and Emmet Butts (bass guitar). Kent has toured and supported his grandfather R.L. Burnside (Fat Possum Records) and many other greats, such as Buddy Guy, North Mississippi Allstars, Jimbo Mathus and Junior Kimbrough just to name a few. Kent Burnside and The New Generation are hitting the road supporting Kent's CD, "Cotton Field Disco". A true revue of The Mississippi Delta and its music, from the porch to the stage. Kent is taking the juke joint music to a whole new level. Don't miss Kent's next cd coming soon, "Country Boy with City Dreams"! Kent Johnson Burnside should not be missed by any Blues fan.

Martin Luther King Chavez Dosh (born September 6, 1972), known in music as Dosh, is a musician and multi-instrumentalist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As an artist, Dosh is a percussionist who uses various electronics, often with a Fender Rhodes. Dosh has been characterized mostly as experimental and electronic-based due to his use of many samplers and looping machines and the rhythmic feel of much of his music, with songs often relying on Dosh alone on keyboards, xylophone, and drums. Dosh is often in collaboration with other musicians during live sets and on recording, both locally and nationally known.

Dosh is also known for his part in Andrew Bird's live band.

PSYCHEDELIC/GARAGE/ROCK

Music that falls under the electronica umbrella... progressive, techno, trip hop, trance, as well as rock, alternative, and other various forms of noise.

The inspiration for the name Mondo Drag came from an unlikely place: wall art in a bathroom shared by members of the band. The band previously was called Holy Smokes, but when Johnnie Cluney came on board to play drums and keyboard as well as provide vocals, the trio wrote all new songs and decided to change the name. That’s when Cluney noticed the picture of a skull above a depiction of the Virgin Mary with the words "il mondo." (The other members of the band who were in on the name selection are Jake Sheley, guitar, and Nolan Girard, guitar and vocals.) "The word just kind of popped," Cluney said. "We were talking about using the word 'drag,' and we couldn’t really think of another word to go with it."

Since the name change in 2006, Mondo Drag has recorded its first album, "Holy Spirit," which doesn’t have any intended religious meanings, and brought on bass player and former Holy Smokes member Jamie Warren. Cluney said the biggest differences are the feel of the music and song lengths, which are now eight minutes at the most as opposed to the 17- minute sagas Holy Smokes played. "It's all kind of the same, but I think more people are into Mondo Drag," he said. "Mondo Drag is easier to digest." The band plays 1960s psychedelic folk music with a mix of blues, classic rock and jazz. Lyrics are sparse, keeping the focus on the instrumentals. "What we have always been into is playing that has always been different," Warren said. "You know, just liking things that are different and not in the norm or in the mainstream."

Mondo Drag’s influences come from little-known ‘60s bands that developed a cult following, and its members are constantly searching out albums from which to get ideas. “We all just find obscure albums and just all different kinds of music," Sheley said. "Every few days, we’re just finding 20 new albums. It’s just like whatever we’re on that week."

The band Two Girls will open the show. Tickets are $5.00 and are on sale now.

METAL.

Through Terror is a high-energy, in your face metal band from Moline, IL that formed in the summer of 2006. They have built a dedicated fan base along the way and have no intention stopping any time soon. Their music is in one word "intense", which includes screeching highs, pitched mids and guttural lows coming from a creative and lyrically phenomenal vocalist force intensity to the highest level and perfectly compliment the brutal breakdowns and catchy hooks. All of this accompanied by precision drumming, epic solos and a raw energy live show that leaves most craving for more. They have made such an impact lately with the release of their first EP "From Shadows We Rise" that both versions of the local newspapers have done articles on the band, as well as the local rock radio station, ROCK 104.9, also completely changed their format to metal for an hour to coincide the interview with the band. Don't miss one of the best metal bands in the QC.


Opening the show are Upon Deaths Arrival and Hope Admist Ruin. Tickets go on sale to members of the RME on May 16 and to the general public on May 30. To find out how to receive advanced tickets sales by becoming a member of RME, visit www.rivermusicexperience.org.