Los Lonely Boys, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, North Mississippi Allstars Headline
www.RiverRootsLive.com
(DAVENPORT- IA) River Roots Live, the Quad Cities' premiere music festival, is celebrating its ten year anniversary with an incredible lineup featuring headliners Los Lonely Boys, Robert Randolph & the Family Band and the North Mississippi Allstars. Additional national acts include ZZ Ward, Ben Kweller, Cracker, The Jayhawks, Foxy Shazam, The Ballroom Thieves, Mr. Baber's Neighbors, and Twins. The Quad Cities' own talent will also be showcased by the One Night Standards and The Dawn.
As always, Ribfest BBQ vendors from across the country will be serving up delicious BBQ throughout the weekend. River Roots Live will be held on Friday, August 15 and Saturday, August 16, 2014 in Davenport's LeClaire Park on the banks of the beautiful Mississippi River. The festival is free both nights before 5 p.m. and admission is only $10 after 5 p.m.
"With 2014 being the festival's ten year anniversary, we really wanted to increase the look and feel of River Roots Live, said Jason Gilliland, Director of Events, Downtown Davenport Partnership. "Fans can expect to find a bigger second stage that includes an improved sound system and banners rivaling many other festivals in the country. In addition, our lineup has more nationally touring acts and we're thrilled to provide a festival of this quality for the Quad Cities."
The Bands
Hailing from Texas, Los Lonely Boys are a Grammy Awarwd-winning sibling trio whose music draws equally from Rock, Blues, Tex-Mex, Conjunto, and Tejano. After recording their debut album at Willie Nelson's studio in 2003, the single "Heaven" started climbing the charts with the album selling double Platinum.
Robert Randolph & the Family Band is a funk and soul band led by pedal steel guitarist, Robert Randolph. This high energy, festival staple band was described by the President of Blue Note Records as having "mastered what is, arguably, the most complex instrument in the world and developed a unique voice that is equal parts street-corner and Bonnaroo." This is a high energy band that will leave you breathless and wanting more.
The North Mississippi Allstars formed in 1996, the product of a special time for modern Mississippi country blues. Brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson soaked up the music of their father, Memphis legend Jim Dickinson, and absorbed the North Mississippi legacy while playing and shaking it down in the juke joints with their blues ancestors. Eventually, Luther and Cody formed the North Mississippi Allstars and pioneered their own brand of blues-infused rock and roll. The Allstars continually expand the tradition of the Mississippi hill country blues that has inspired them from the beginning, but as Rolling Stone aptly notes, "the Allstars may be children of tradition, but they're digging deep in undiscovered country."
On her way to River Roots Live, ZZ Ward will be showcased at Bonnaroo, Summerfest and Red Rocks this summer. Live, ZZ Ward's smoky vocals and deliberate, varied arrangements make her one not to miss. Last year, she toured with Fitz and the Tantrums, Grace Potter, Gary Clark, Jr. and Allen Stone and this year launched multiple near sell-out U.S. headline tours.
Ben Kweller has been called everything from balladeer to punk rocker, anti-folker to indie-popper. His ability to weave together opposites that coexist happily on the same album is something few can do.
American alternative rockers Cracker will take the stage on Saturday. Formed in 1991 the band has released 10 studio albums including the gold-selling album, Kerosene Hat, which included the hit songs "Low" and "Get off This."
The Jayhawks have been described as forging a rootsy sound that wasn't quite rock or country - "Hank Williams on speed." That sentiment can be heard on such hits as "Save it for a Rainy Day," "Blue," and "Waiting for the Sun."
Named one of the "100 bands you need to know" by Alternative Press, Foxy Shazam has been showing off their rock chops since 2004. Lead singer Eric Sean Nally says "When I listen to a Foxy Shazam record I think of Evel Knievel; Bruce Springsteen; my childhood; Van Morrison; my old friends from high school I don't talk to anymore; Elton John; the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, and beyond; Iggy Pop; and my first kiss."
Rounding out this year's lineup will be the Ballroom Thieves, Mr. Baber's Neighbors, Twins, the One Night Standards and The Dawn.
Ribs & Fest Info
It wouldn't be River Roots Live without Ribfest BBQ! This isn't your neighbor burning some hotdogs and calling it BBQ. Our vendors travel the nation and represent the top tier of professional BBQ cookers in the United States. So loosen your belt, and we suggest trying every single one of 'em throughout the weekend. Patrons will be able to vote for their favorite! The West Music Jr. Jam Tent returns to offer fun educational workshops for kids and performances from the River Music Experience's Rock Camp bands.
With well over 20,000 attendees, River Roots Live has continued to grow every year since its inception in 2005. For complete details regarding band bios and festival activities, please visit RiverRootsLive.com.
Produced by the Downtown Davenport Partnership, a division of Quad Cities Chamber, River Roots Live is supported by partners Living Lands & Waters and the River Music Experience - all nonprofit organizations. River Roots Live is proud to help promote music education programs at the River Music Experience, environmental clean-up efforts on the Mississippi River by Living Lands & Waters, and the growth of historic downtown Davenport.
River Roots Live is presented by U.S. Cellular and the Riverboat Development Authority. Please visit www.RiverRootsLive.com to see the complete list of our generous community sponsors.
