You can call it alt. country, you can call it modern folk--but no matter what label you put on it, in the current climate of popular music The McCoy Tyler Band's songs are refreshingly lucid, rootsy, and at times downright danceable. With influences ranging from Neil Young to The Devil Makes Three, Townes Van Zandt to Railroad Earth, with a little Bill Monroe and Tony Rice thrown in for good measure, this progressive acoustic trio from Santa Cruz, CA will have you out of your seat and dancing in no time. Rooted deep in the customs of American folk music, The McCoy Tyler Band seeks to pay homage to such traditions while incorporating their own unique style of lyricism, instrumentation, and performance. Their motto (in the words of David Grisman): “Any tradition results from free thinking.”

Straight out of the Monterey Bay, North Pacific String Band is a Newgrass band that celebrates the life of California and the ol' time traditions and values of music. While expounding the categories of bluegrass, string band, and acoustic music, North Pacific String Band (NPSB) also remains faithful to the tradition of bluegrass. It is this faithful nod that provides context to the way they approach this modern world of music and community. Their sound is a ceremony of genuine sentiments and radical concepts that make the 'North Pacific' Americana. This quintet, starring Jan Purat on Violin, Steven Stubblefield on mandolin, Jeff Wilson on Banjo, Evan Penza on guitar, and Alex Bice on bass, is a talented conglomerate of Central California based musicians. In traditional string band formation, NPSB articulates a unique musical experience, one that is informed by musical traditions as well as the timeless Pacific Coast.