RXR Fest Brings Bluesy Vibe to Memorial Day Weekend – UPDATED

 

Three evenings of live music at Russell Crossroads

We’ve gathered an outstanding lineup, and, this year, a little more blues, funk and soul will fill the Town Green for three evenings. Here’s a little about the artists and some samplings of their sounds. The music is free, so bring your blankets and coolers and let the rhythms recharge your soul.

UPDATE: Great music and great food, too?

Great music should always be accompanied by great food, right? Well, we’ve got you covered. On Friday and Saturday, Catherine’s Market will have the smoker rig parked right across from the Town Green serving up delectable barbecue combos, hot dog combos, and à la carte items. If you’re looking for something cooler, the ice cream cart will be there, too! And, being the kind of hospitable folks they are, Catherine’s will be staying open a little later during RXR Fest, plus they’re open on Memorial Day.

Friday, May 25 – 8am-8:30pm
Saturday, May 26 – 8am-8pm
Sunday, May 27 – 8am-8pm (grill closes at 3pm)
Monday, May 28 – 8am-4pm

On Sunday, SpringHouse will be boiling up some hot and spicy crawfish with corn, potatoes, and smoked sausage. Get a taste of true Southern to go with the funk and soul.

---

Friday, May 25

Belle Adair – 6pm

Belle Adair was born by Matt Green and Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes) in 2011. After a lineup change in early 2014, Belle Adair is still Matt Green, vocalist and guitarist; along with Reed Watson on drums, Adam Morrow guitar and vocals; and Hayden Crawford on bass. Belle Adair has opened select shows for the Alabama Shakes and is John Paul White’s (Civil Wars) backing band, currently touring throughout the United States and Europe.

It’s little wonder that a group as dynamic and versatile as Belle Adair is as much of a hit with fellow songwriters as they are with critics. NPR praised the band’s “dreamy sound,” while SPIN said their music “glows with a deep, dusky aura,” and Uncut compared them to “Wilco, when the roots were still showing, with flashes of The Byrds.” Despite the group’s hectic schedule performing with others, they still managed to find time for gigs of their own, including opening slots with The Alabama Shakes (Belle Adair’s touring keyboardist, Ben Tanner, also tours and records with that group), festival performances from SXSW to CMJ, and multiple appearances at the annual Billy Reid Shindig.

A little taste of Belle Adair:

AJ Ghent – 8pm

Influenced by James Brown, Prince, his family heritage, and his mentor—the legendary Colonel Bruce Hampton who taught him what mattered the most; “time, tone and space” for all his music and life journeys, AJ Ghent [j-ent] constructs a musical sound that can be heard howling from the church, to the streets, to the clubs. His style is fresh, nostalgic, electrifying and roots rock—fusing blues, funk, rock, and pop, mashing it into a genre he likes to call NEO BLUES.

AJ Ghent knows where his talent comes from and isn’t afraid to explore other sounds. His new album The Neo Blues Project is something different—a musical fusion that takes art and skill to master, something that AJ Ghent has spent his whole life perfecting. The album debuted #7 on the Billboard Blues Charts on its release week in March 2018.

Check out some AJ Ghent:

---

Saturday, May 26

The Bank Walkers – 6pm

The Bank Walkers  are from the Lake Martin area and include Steve Forehand on vocals, bass, mandolin, and guitar; Roger Holliday on vocals, rhythm, and bass; Mark Tucker on vocals and lead guitar; David Sturdivant on vocals and drums; and Brian Bice on lead guitar. They have a varied mix of genres and influences that have made them what they are today—a group of guys who like to have a good time and play some really good music!

A number of influences have helped mold the Bank Walkers’ sound:

• Steve was influenced by his granddad, a champion fiddle player, and his grandmother who played banjo past the age of 100.
• For Roger, who grew up in Macon, Georgia and spent many Sunday afternoons at The Round House, it was the Allman Brothers.
• Mark, originally a trumpet player, had aspirations of becoming the next Herb Albert or Chuck Mangione until he, at the age of 15, picked up the guitar and taught himself how to play!
• A native of Birmingham, David started playing drums in elementary school, much to the dismay of his parents. David’s love for drumming was re-kindled in 1999, as he began playing with groups including Shades of Blue with Brian.
• A native of Alexander City, Brian grew up listening to all types of music, from Blues to Classical. After five years of piano, he decided (at age 10) to learn guitar. He has played in Funky Snake Oil, Bubbas Dawgs, Liquid, and several other groups in college that didn’t have names. He played with Shades of Blue with David. A highlight of his musical career was to play the Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale St. with Albert Collin’s backing band. Brian loves to make music with any band, but we’re glad he found The Bank Walkers.

A sample of The Bank Walkers:

Tyler Mac – 8pm

Born in Anderson, Indiana, Tyler Mac started his professional career at the age of 13 and toured internationally at age 18. He has shared the stage with or opened for Joe Bonamassa, Van Morrision, The Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter, John Rich, and the list goes on and on.

He now calls Pensacola, Florida home and can be found shredding his guitar with his funky blues sound along the gulf coast, around the Southeast, and globally.

Tyler has toured the world and played for thousands over the last 10 years. His debut album Already Home (recorded with super producer David Z) was released in 2013.

Here’s some Tyler Mac:

---

Sunday, May 27

King Corduroy – 6pm

King Corduroy, Kurt McMahan, is a guitar and harmonica slinger originally from Montgomery, Alabama. He moved to Tuscaloosa, then to Austin in 2007, where he spent six years studying the troubadour tradition of storytelling and learning from countless musicians along his journey. The lyrics of Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Guy Clarke and many other Austin legends have shaped his writing.

The style of King Corduroy stirs up all the southern flavors of soul music, the swamp sound of Muscle Shoals, the “Soul of Stax” in Memphis, the funk of the Crescent City and the electric blues of Texas! Then mix in a dash of that country twang with a cosmic message and you get Cosmic Southern Soul. As King Corduroy says, “Austin Soul Stew is ready to be served!”

Groove with King Corduroy:

Lamont Landers – 8pm

Born and raised in Decatur, Alabama, Lamont Landers grew up absorbing the soulful sounds of the South that surrounded him. At the age of 14, he taught himself how to play guitar, and at the age of 19 began singing. He spent years quietly honing his talents behind his bedroom doors, listening to Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Sly & The Family Stone, and Ray Charles on repeat. At the age of 22, a candid video recorded by his sister of him performing the Ray Charles classic “Hit the Road Jack,” went viral on YouTube, and with the help of Reddit.com, garnered over 400,000 views overnight.

Lamont’s YouTube channel now has over 11,000 subscribers and over 1.9 million views, and his four-piece band, The Lamont Landers Band, has since become a staple in college towns as they perform across the southeast bringing their joyful noise of soul, funk, and R&B to audiences of all sizes.

In April, the Lamont Landers Band covered Bill Withers’ 1972 funk smash “Use Me” on Showtime At The Apollo, and brought the crowd to their feet as they won the nightly competition.

Get funky with Lamont Landers: