Eight Bit Disaster 4:00-5:00
Eight Bit Disaster is a high energy video game tribute band from North Carolina, choosing songs from all over the spectrum, with an emphasis on obscure games whose music needs to be heard. They pride themselves on arranging game music in a fresh and original manner, while still retaining the basis that drew them to the song in the first place. Their genres range from rock to funk, jazz and blues with everything in between.
Emily Musolino Band 5:15-6:30
Emily Musolino is a Durham, NC native who mixes soulful vocals with shredding blues rock guitar riffs. The depth of emotion in her voice is stunning and her songs have a classic sound and lyrics that tell compelling stories.
A Berklee College of Music graduate, Emily has performed, recorded and collaborated with various local and nationally-recognized artists, including Vinx, Shelley Nicole, Shana Tucker, Anna Wise (SonnyMoon, Kendrick Lamar, Cunnylinguists) and Eric Hirsh (The Beast, Orquesta GarDel, Eric Hirsh Quartet). She is also owner and head engineer at Blue Moose Recording Studio in Durham.
Emily released her sophomore album “Jealous Girl” in November of 2014.
Emily has been featured on NPR’s the State of Things with Frank Stasio and Durham’s own Clarion Content. She currently fronts the Emily Musolino Band and regularly performs as both bandleader and soloist around the country.
Pierce Freelon & Blackspace: Multimedia presentation & Raffle 6:30-7:00pm
Just announced! Pierce Freelon, musician, professor, Afrofuturist, will be making a special appearance for a brief discussion and multimedia presentation about Blackspace, a free Pan-African centered social entrepreneurship and digital media resources for local youth. Following is the Event Raffle to help raise funds for the Blackspace cause. Tickets can be purchased at the Entry Gate for $1 each! We would like to thank all of the participating local business for their support and donations:
DPAC $250 (2) Tickets & VIP parking to The Temptations & The Four Tops; St. James Seafood Restaurant and Raw Bar $50 gift card; American Tobacco Campus $50 gift card; Maverick’s Smokehouse and Taproom $50 gift card; Lilly’s Pizza Durham $40 gift card; ZenFish (2) FREE regular size bowls; Ngozi Design Collective (1) handcrafted hand bag.
BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET Blackspace founder Pierce Freelon is an Afrofuturist. Born and raised in Durham, North Carolina his parents and grandmother fed him a steady diet of Star Trek: the Next Generation, the Museum of Life and Science, and Afrocentricity. After graduating with degrees in Black Studies from UNC Chapel Hill (BA) and Syracuse University (MA), he started searching for ways to answer his calling to art and activism. Pierce found early success with his PBS web-series, Beat Making Lab. BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED In 2014, after several years teaching beat making and songwriting across Africa and the Caribbean, Pierce’s ancestors communicated a clear message: go home. Inspired by his Grandmother’s mantra “bloom where you are planted” he returned to North Carolina and opened Blackspace Chapel Hill at 179 E Franklin Street
Blackspace provides free Pan-African centered social entrepreneurship and digital media resources for local youth. Pierce has worked with a team of Artivists to teach workshops in beat making, computer graphics, videography, radio, spoken word and puppetry – with a particular focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) curriculums.
Jo Gore 7:00-8:20
Josephine Gore grew up singing in Spring Hill Baptist Church alongside her father who was the church pianist and deacon. The daddy-daughter duo performed extensively at churches and revivals throughout southeastern North Carolina. Church audiences were enthralled with the four-year-old’s ability to memorize an entire catalog of hymns and spirituals. She was the little girl with the big voice.
As a teenager, she would plunder through her grandfather’s record collection, playing albums by Mahalia Jackson, Ray Charles, James Brown and Nina Simone. She’s been hooked on jazz, blues, and soul ever since.
Jo Gore mesmerizes audiences with her angelic voice and electrifying stage presence while remaining true to her love of classic, soul and jazz standards. Each performance is full of love, life, music, and story-telling. These days, she’s the woman with the big voice and audiences are still enthralled.
Pastor Joe 8:20-9:00 (beer garden side stage)
