Bones Jugs, M.R.E. and The Whipstitch Sallies – Saturday, January 16th

Note: if the artist stream is not showing up in the Listen tab, try switching between the About tab and the Listen tab.

Bones, Jug, Xylophone, kazoos, steel pan resonator guitar, banjo, double bass, drums, all sorts of noise makers. These are just some of the instruments we play around with at our shows. The group began with the dream of throwing an energetic party with acoustic instruments, a high quality, clearly audible musical experience that could be had on street corners, on the beach, in living rooms, or amplified in a club.

We started with some old xylophone rags, featuring Cody Jensen, and have since built a large repertoire of originals and covers, old and new. As old as Leroy Carr’s “Barrelhouse Women”, Memphis Jugband’s “Sugar Puddin’”, and the classic “Salty Dog Blues,” and as new as the Beastie Boys’ “Girls,” Bone Thugs N Harmony’s “Crossroads,” and Abigail Washburn’s “Divine Bell.” We are highly influenced by jugbands and string bands, both new and old. We also perform calypso tunes featuring Tim Berg on steel pan, Mississippi John Hurt tunes featuring the guitar work of JP Goguen, and a slew of bluegrass standards and not-so-standards. With our extensive collection of instruments, our large spectrum of influences, and our quirky and thoughtful songwriting we embark on our journey of creating a new sound to share with all who will lend an ear.

We pride ourselves on being seriously silly, it’s a commitment to fun. We want to party. We want, we want to party. With you. And your friends. And other people that neither of us know. We’re hoping we can all dance till we fall down, sing till our voices cannot be found, and smile till our faces fall off. Bones.

Note: if the artist stream is not showing up in the Listen tab, try switching between the About tab and the Listen tab.

The Indianapolis Star says that “The Whipstitch Sallies have been creating a buzz on the local bluegrass/folk music scene.” Their lively, energetic performances engage crowds in festival settings as well as intimate venues. All the girls sing lead and harmony vocals, and this versatility is a strength for the group’s rootsy Americana sound. Allie Burbrink brings driving rhythm and picking on acoustic guitar and banjo while Kat Erickson holds down the groove on upright bass. Meanwhile, Sam Roberts’ powerful mandolin style and Katie Burk’s spirited fiddle leads show their diverse influences – from punk to old-time. The Back Road Radio Show affirms, “These…delightful young ladies combine incredible vocal harmonies and skillful, hi-power picking into a potent folk and bluegrass mix.”

**Winners of the Shady Grove Fiddle Festival band competition, July 2011**
** Fiddle player and vocalist Katie Burk won third place in the Prairie Home Companion Duet Competition, October 2012**

Note: if the artist stream is not showing up in the Listen tab, try switching between the About tab and the Listen tab.
https://www.reverbnation.com/themidwestrhythmexchange

The Midwest Rythm Exchange is an exciting, high-energy, acoustic quartet that branches out into many musical stylings. Covering everything from Jazz to Americana, Gypsy to Blues, and Bluegrass to Reggae. MRE offers a unique musical experience.

The band was founded in an attempt to bring traditional gypsy swing and other acoustic styles to a modern audience. Through a combination of progressive arrangements, experienced musicianship, and inspired compositions they deliver a high-energy show that finds a way to connect traditional music to a modern ‘jukebox audience’.

Their music has taken them to the Green Apple Music Festival in Chicago and many other cities around the Midwest. They currently play a weekly gig at the premier Jazz club in Indianapolis, The Jazz Kitchen, and play many other regular shows in and around Indianapolis and the Midwest.

The band is currently composed of Kevin Lee Guthridge (Blue Hound Underground) on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, Kris Potts (Ladymoon, Flatland Harmony Experiment) on mandolin, Johnny Plott (Flatland Harmony Experiment) on banjo and vocals, and Aaron Ransdell (Tonos Triad) on the upright bass. Their song list consists of nearly 70 songs, including covers such as MIles Davis’s “So What”, “The Thrill is Gone”, Django Reinhardt’s “Minor Swing”, “Listen to the Music” by the Doobie Brothers, and “Sweet Child of Mine”