“Close your eyes – if one were to imagine the kind of music played in heaven, this may well be it.” ~ PopMatters
How do you describe genre-defying roots music adventurers Dustbowl Revival? Even tireless founder and lead songwriter Z. Lupetin would agree you have to come to a show to find out. Going strong into their second decade after starting from a humble Craigslist ad posted in bohemian Venice Beach, some would say Dustbowl’s ever-evolving collective (there have been nearly thirty members!) plays a spicy cocktail of folky-funk or booty-shaking jangly rock n’ soul: expertly mixing their New Orleans-tinted brass section with their signature Laurel Canyon harmonies and fearless lyrics.
While most bands stay in one lane or fade away quickly, Dustbowl Revival is a testament to building a fanbase and their own sound the old-fashioned way, with hard work and moving songs that stick to your bones when you leave the concert. There’s a reason they continue to get written up in Rolling Stone and Billboard and get played on AAA radio 16 years after they set sail.
After releasing seven acclaimed albums starting in 2008, including their beloved live record With A Lampshade On (2015) recorded mostly at their LA homebase the famed Troubadour, and their charting self-titled record (2017) produced by Grammy-winner Ted Hutt (Flogging Molly, Old Crow Medicine Show), perhaps their magnum opus is 2020’s deeply personal Is It You, Is It Me – produced by Sam Kassirer (Lake Street Dive, Josh Ritter). It showcases their penchant for orchestral brass and intricate string work with politically-charged story-songs that unfold like mini-movies. It’s not surprising that Z. Lupetin was an award-winning playwright and screenwriter before music took the reins. “Get Rid Of You”, an ode to the courageous kids in Parkland, FL who stood up to demand common-sense control laws be passed is a heart-wrenching staple of each show.
Kicking off the night is Chris Kasper, an American songwriter who is currently based in the Philadelphia area. He’s been active in the local and national scene for the last 20 years. Over that time, he has released seven records and toured with acts like Amos Lee and The Wood Brothers. His music traverses the americana, blues, folk and rock spectrums, blurring the lines between genres. Kasper’s evolution into a no-nonsense songwriter is heard throughout his latest album, Sunlight In An Empty Room, with nods to songwriters of the 70s like Bobby Charles, Lowell George, and Neil Young.
