Riverside Stage: Saturday's artists

Sol Driven Train, 11-11:50 p.m. (children's show)
"Comprised as it is of a fiery, big-band blend of world-beat, southern fried funk and beach-boy (if not Beach Boys) style harmony, a mere description of the tuneage played by this Charleston, S.C., act might lead you to believe that a ride on Sol Driven Train is likely to end up with a final stop in Margaritaville. Thankfully that is not the case..." -Creative Loafing Feb 13, 2008 (Timothy C. Davis)

Joseph Hasty & Musica Nostra, 12-12:50 p.m.
Hasty performs many styles of music ranging from Jazz to Bluegrass. His original arrangements and compositions highlight swing guitar and Latin influences. Joining Hasty at the 2008 Blue Ridge BBQ Festival are a couple of wonderful musicians - Dick Hull on guitar & mandolin and Bob Kogut on violin & mandolin - forming the trio: MUSICA NOSTRA.

Bob Sinclair, 1-1:50 p.m.
“My mother used to make a Sunday, after-church meal for our family. We’d eat too much, sop up the last of the gravy with the corner of a biscuit and then lean back in our chairs to tell silly jokes and laugh at ourselves. It was a time when you could feel safe and included and completely satisfied with the world. That’s the way I feel about the BBQ fest. It is a special place for me, and I’m always satisfied in that Sunday afternoon kinda way. I’ll be playing my original songs, hosting the Riverside Stage and looking forward to a visit with you. See you there”

Juniper, 2-2:50 p.m.
Blending Celtic and Alternative Folk Music, Frances Pisacane, fiddle, and Jasmine Hart, guitar and vocals, weave a tight tapestry of haunting melodies and lush harmonies. Sprinkle in some fiery rhythms and compelling vocals and you have the unique sound which transports Juniper's fans to an ancient time with jigs, reels & airs then brings them back with their original Alternative Folk compositions. Their last CD, “Stepping Stones”, was nominated Celtic Album of the Year (2007) by WNCW Radio 88.7.

Mieka Pauley, 3-3:50 p.m.
Heading out of her Boston home, Mieka puts her guitar in the trunk of her car and does an average of 150 live shows a year criss-crossing the country. She follows her own vision for her music and her style has brought comparisons to Ben Harper, Cat Power, Neko Case, Patty Griffin and others.

Blue Mother Tupelo, 4-4:50 p.m.
The sound is a pure Southern Soul stew – Blue Mother Tupelo is the husband/wife duo of Ricky and Micol Davis. Their original sound blends Rock & Roll, Mountain Music, Soul and Delta Blues.

Mike Farris, 5-5:50 p.m.
Mike Farris is working out his salvation through his guitar—and the music he creates through his own compositions and his revival of real in-the-fields gospel takes you straight to heaven. Think Al Green. Think the Staple Singers. Then mix in some Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. And—no matter what you believe—get ready for your spirit to move. His 2008 CD, Salvation in Lights (INO Records), is a force in itself. Powerful songs punctuated with celebratory bursts of horns and slide guitar--all given amazing soul through Farris's charismatic voice. Don’t miss him.

The New Familiars, 6-6:50 p.m.
From the foothills of North Carolina, The New Familiars grew from seeds of the folk, blues, and bluegrass found abundant in their homelands and nurtured by the phenomenal breadth of genres and styles that have bloomed and withered over the last 50 years in American music. These four gentlemen combine an amazing passion for harmony with multi-instrumental talent and an uncanny ability for storytelling.