Showman Pokey LaFarge is pleased to announce the Central Time Tour, a traveling variety musical experience. Performers joining Pokey on tour include “American songster” and founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops Dom Flemons, sounds from the Bayou with Joel Savoy, Jesse Lege, and the Cajun Country Revival, Cincinnati’s roots outfit The Tillers, and blues and roots from St. Louis with The Loot Rock Gang. “I’ve always been inspired by the revue tours of the mid-twentieth century. These tours sent a caravan of musicians, often from the same record label, to towns across America – big and small – for an evening of music and dancing.” says Pokey LaFarge. The tour will exhibit the show format of mid-century traveling revue tours and caravans, sure to be a one-of-a-kind experience for fans.
Showgoers are certainly in for an exciting evening, and an education will also be unavoidable for some. LaFarge says, “With the Central Time Tour, I want to broaden the appreciation of what it is that makes the Midwest a special place. I want to turn people on to quality music they wouldn’t likely hear on the radio. I want to celebrate our diverse American traditions, and above all, give the good people of the Midwest no choice but to dance, sing and put their minds at ease when the Central Time Tour comes to town.”
For information regarding ticket on-sales, please check with the venue directly.
TOUR SCHEDULE
9/15/14 Charleston, IL @ Doudna Fine Arts Center (Eastern Illinois University)
9/16/14 Middletown, OH @ Finkelman Auditorium (Miami University)
9/17/14 Carbondale, IL @ Hangar 9
9/18/14 Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theatre
9/19/14 Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music
9/20/14 Stoughton, WI @ Stoughton Opera House
9/21/14 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
9/23/14 Iowa City, IA @ The Englert Theatre
9/24/14 Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
Pokey LaFarge is a musician, songwriter, bandleader, entertainer, innovator and preservationist, whose arsenal of talents has placed him at the forefront of American music. Over the last decade, Pokey has won the hearts of music lovers across the globe with his creative mix of early jazz, string ragtime, country blues and western swing. After signing with Jack White’s Third Man Records to release his fifth full-length album (Pokey LaFarge) in 2013, he performed as a musical guest on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show on Ireland’s RTÉ One network. Pokey’s rendition of “Lovesick Blues” with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, featured on an episode of Boardwalk Empire, was selected for inclusion on the series’ official soundtrack (Vol. 2). Additionally, Pokey appeared in Disney’s The Lone Ranger (both on screen and on the original score), was featured on A Prairie Home Companion and NPR’s World Cafe, and recorded a song for ATO Records’ Divided & United: Songs of the Civil War, produced by Randall Poster. Pokey LaFarge is on a mission, encouraging fans worldwide to think differently about what it means to celebrate musical traditions. Simply put, Pokey explains, “It’s not retro music. It’s American music that never died.”
Dom Flemons is the “American Songster,” pulling from traditions of old-time folk music to create new sounds. Having performed music professionally since 2005, he has played live for over one million people just within the past three years. As part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, which he co-founded with Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson, he has played at a variety of festivals spanning from the Newport Folk Festival to Bonnaroo, in addition to renowned venues such as the Grand Ole Opry. After announcing his departure from Carolina Chocolate Drops, Dom is now focusing on his solo career and will release a new album of his original material July 22, 2014.
Joel Savoy, Jesse Lége and the Cajun Country Revival play Cajun dance hall music from the prairies of southwest Louisiana, where generations young and old alike come together to celebrate their vibrant culture through dancing, socializing and having a good time. Born and bred in the rural, Cajun French country of Louisiana, Jesse Lége is among the most admired Cajun accordionists and vocalists in the world. Joel Savoy, ace fiddler and GRAMMY winner for his production work with Valcour Records, has lead bands alongside Jesse for 15 years. They are joined by Sammy Lind (Cajun rhythm guitar, fiddle) and Nadine Landry (vocals, double bass) of the internationally acclaimed Foghorn Stringband.
The Tillers bring together traditional folk and bluegrass and give it a distinct bite through their punk-howling musical history. A trio of troubadours based in Cincinnati, OH, they weave their gleaming tenor harmonies atop precise acoustic instrumentation, singing songs about love and the road and despair and triumph and life and death. Mike Oberst’s fiddle and banjo weave intricately with Sean Geil’s guitar-work, while bassist Aaron Geil holds it all together on his upright bass. The Tillers’ latest album Hand on the Plow (2013) highlights their ability to bring forth big emotions and small observations, sung at rafter-rattling Saturday night volume and with church-whispering Sunday morning reverence.
The Loot Rock Gang gathers their diverse set of influences (traditional elements of blues, country, jazz and rock n’ roll) and presents them in a striking, unexpected way that will keep your toes tapping with their infectious rhythms. Formed in 2012 by husband and wife vocal duo Mat and Rachel Wilson, The Loot Rock Gang are a group of seasoned musicians united by their hometown of St. Louis, Missouri and have quickly become mainstays in the regional scene. Mat’s stellar resonator guitar work and unique songwriting meshes beautifully with Rachel’s powerhouse rhythm and blues vocals. Backed by Stephen Inman (upright bass) and Kellie Everett (baritone sax), The Loot Rock Gang presents an energetic show and refreshing sound that is palatable for modern listeners and traditionalists alike.
