Florida’s Boyce Avenue are part of the millennial wave of artists who have used the Internet, rather than extensive touring, to get their music out to the masses. Consisting of brothers Alejandro, Fabian, and Daniel Manzano, the trio started making music together when Daniel returned to Florida after graduating from Harvard Law School. The brothers showcased their emotive, radio-friendly alt-rock on YouTube with a series of videos of them performing acoustic versions of their own songs as well as covers. In 2013, they joined the American version of The X Factor television series as vocal coaches and released the concert album Live in Los Angeles. By that same year, they had hit one billion views on YouTube, amassing millions of subscribers in the process. Their No Limits EP followed in 2014. In 2016, they released their 15th EP of cover songs, Cover Sessions, Vol. 2, which featured their takes on hits by Sam Smith, Adele, and Ed Sheeran, and even the Game of Thrones theme offered up with Spanish acoustic flair.
ALTER BRIDGE w/ guests Nonpoint
Fittingly, on their fifth full-length album, The Last Hero, hard rock juggernaut Alter Bridge pursue a level of excellence inspired by timeless heroism. Making the record became something of a personal quest for the quartet—Myles Kennedy [vocals, guitar], Mark Tremonti [guitar, vocals], Brian Marshall [bass], and Scott Phillips [drums]. In 2013, the band reached an elevated creative and critical milestone with Fortress. It bowed at #12 on the Billboard Top 200, moving over 30,000 copies first-week and earning unanimous tastemaker praise. The record garnered perfect scores from Total Guitar and KERRANG! as well as acclaim from Billboard, The Guardian, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, and many more. In between sold out tours in Europe and North America, the guys appeared on VH1 and graced the cover of Classic Rock Magazine who labeled Fortress, “The best thing they’ve ever done,” while Eddie Trunk called it, “A top 10 album of the last 10 years.” When it came time to write new music, the musicians collectively raised the bar yet again for The Last Hero. Ultimately, Alter Bridge heroically deliver for fans worldwide and rock music at large.
Revolution Fan Favorite Nonpoint provides support for the show.
Soca Paradise Presents: KES
Inspired by their native melting pot nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Kes fuses together a unique blend calypso, rock and reggae to bring the sounds of the Caribbean to the world stage. Kes the band’s unique blend of soulful vocals and calypso-inspired melodies, over a fusion of rock riffs and island beats, hints of soca and reggae, but can best be described as Caribbean Pop. This style has elevated Kes to stardom, allowing the band to become a household name in Trinidad & Tobago and throughout the Caribbean circuit, where they consistently win over audiences with their electric and high-energy performances.
The New Mastersounds & Turkuaz
Simon Allen and Eddie Roberts had played together as The Mastersounds, though with a different bassist and no organ. Through friends and the intimate nature of the Leeds (UK) music scene, Pete Shand and Bob Birch were added on bass and Hammond respectively and The New Mastersounds were born. Though it was raw, and more of a boogaloo sound at first, it was powerful from the start. Their first rehearsal was hot enough for Blow it Hard Records to release on two limited-edition 7” singles. Fast-forward 15 years and the recorded catalogue boasts 24 more 7” singles, 9 studio albums, 2 live albums, 1 remix album and 3 compilation albums, released variously in UK, USA and Japan, where they continue to tour extensively. Joe Tatton, another veteran of the Leeds scene, joined back in 2007, replacing Bob Birch on organ and piano. As an example of the respect this band commands, Peter Wermelinger – DJ, collector, and author of the crate-diggers’ bible The Funky & Groovy Music Lexicon – places the 2001 NMS track “Turn This Thing Around” in his all-time top-ten tunes, along with the likes of Eddie Harris, Funkadelic, and Herbie Hancock. The New Mastersounds are at the very top of an elite selection of acts that bring the true soul out of funk.
Turkuaz is a 9-piece “Powerfunk” outfit from Brooklyn, NY, whose modern take on the classic funk sound has established them as leaders in the funk revolution that’s currently taking place in the genre. Blending elements of Pop, R&B, and Soul with their distinct aggressive funk core, Turkuaz sounds like the musical love child of Sly & the Family Stone and Talking Heads. Turkuaz’s sound is more accessible than ever and poised to break out to a more mainstream audience. With a playful feel that evokes the best of 80s dance music, Turkuaz’s tightly arranged songs are built on thick grooves, driven by powerhouse rhythm and horn sections, as well as four distinct vocalists.
Official Jam Cruise 13 Post Cruise Show featuring Lettuce with Break Science
After celebrating their 20th anniversary as modern day rulers of old school funk, the Brooklyn-based juggernaut Lettuce is not showing any signs of slowing. Having blown up stages from coast to coast last year, ranging from The Fillmore in San Francisco to Terminal 5 in NYC, Bonnaroo to Pemberton and all points in-between, Lettuce is poised to continue their rapid growth throughout 2014/2015.
“We’re more together and set to crush than ever before,” says drummer and chief songwriter Adam Deitch of the all-star group that he and his accomplished band-mates cut their teeth with back in their Berklee School of Music days. That much history, along with the A-list crop of projects that each member has taken on away from Lettuce, gives the group a bottomless well of musical ideas and unrivaled chemistry—in fact, referring to themselves as a band of brothers. “I was in a practice room at 16 with these guys, and it all clicked,” says lead bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes. “We all felt rhythms in similar ways. We were all about the pocket from day one.”
“People tend to look at funk as a one-trick pony,” says Deitch, “but we aim to smash those limits by drawing on a range of styles that can be traced from the early ’60s through the early ’80s, incorporating plenty of modern hip-hop sensibilities—heavy bass, kick and snare—along the way. Having evolved and refocused, without ever dropping the beat, Lettuce is getting ready to take audiences to the cosmos with a high-octane Fall tour. “Lettuce is like a Learjet that wasn’t getting clearance from the tower,” says Jesus. “But we’re done just rolling around on the runway.” They’re not asking for permission, so put your tray tables in their full, upright and locked position. This plane’s itching for lift off.
Lettuce released a limited edition ‘45 featuring “Don’t Be Afraid To Try” with singerAlecia Chakour (who is also touring with the band) this March, and are recording a new full-length record this fall. So be on the lookout for new music and a guaranteed PARTY!
Dumpstaphunk with Juke
Dumpstaphunk stands out among New Orleans’ best as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and descended from Neville family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move. Their performances combine ingenious musicianship and complex funk and jazz arrangements with soulful melodies that are simple enough for anyone to enjoy. In Big Easy tradition, dueling baselines from Tony Hall and Nick Daniels III set off one of the dirtiest rhythm sections on the planet, while Ivan Neville lights up the Hammond B3 keys and cousin Ian Neville’s funky guitar riffs send the groove into overdrive. They toss around lead vocals and four-part harmonies the way Sly & the Family Stone did, but with three studio albums under their belt, Dumpstaphunk stands on the merit of their own material. Songs like “Dancin’ To The Truth” off their latest record, Dirty Word (July 30, 2013, Louisiana Red Hot Records), offer an escape into the funky sublime, sharing the true spirit of New Orleans with every note.
Official Jam Cruise 12 Post Show with Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang
Official Jam Cruise 12 Post Show
The most original rock bassist to come along in the ’90s was unquestionably Les Claypool. With his oddball sense of humor and funky playing, Claypool took his varied musical influences and created an invigorating and completely inventive style. Well known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus, Claypool’s funky, creative playing style on the electric bass mixes finger-tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends (unusual on a bass guitar), a Larry Graham-like slap technique, and Geddy Lee influences. He is a multi-instrumentalist, novelist, music producer, film director, wine maker, and avid fisherman. His stage shows at times border on the genre of performance art. His newest side project is an acoustic band called Duo De Twang, which he brings to the Revolution Live stage.