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We had a BLAST funking out with Freekbass and his gnarly crew The Bump Assembly on Halloween! Check out these photos from Roger Gupta Photography of all the costumes, sideshows, and fun!
THE FLOORBOARDS – Willie Tribute
5 Points regulars The Floorboards will play a special Willie Nelson Appreciation Set because Willie deserves all of our appreciation! Don’t miss this show!
The Floorboards are an American roots rock ensemble hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The band marries rock & roll and country roots with the sights and sounds of southern mountain towns. Jake and Rob shake the leaves from the trees. Chris coaxes stringed cries from the hills and hollers. Matt writes and sings the story.
ROOTS2ROCK WEBCASTING MORGAN WADE
Morgan Wade’s show with us will be a few days after her birthday and you know how much we like to celebrate! This Saturday Night show will be webcast LIVE at The Sanctuary by the folks of Roots2Rock. Roots2Rock highlights great venues, attractions and artists of all music genres. You can watch this live stream and many others on their Facebook page and catch the rebroadcast on TV. Get on over there and follow them on Facebook and Twitter and join us for the show by purchasing your tickets today!
1.25.20 RUNAWAY GIN
It’s been a year almost to the day since Runaway Gin packed the Sanctuary playing Phish tunes with their original jams and precise transcriptions. With over 300 shows performed since their inception in 2014, Runaway Gin is the World’s Most Active Phish Tribute Band. On July 4th, 2015, after the second show of the Grateful Dead GD50 run, Runaway Gin sold out the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago and catapulting them from a Southeastern regional act onto the National scene.
The members of Runaway Gin are long time Phish fans who have united with the goal of creating musical moments inspired by Phish. The band’s song list is constantly growing and their improvisational and communication skills are constantly developing independently and together. Like Phish, Runaway Gin will never play the same show or jam the same way twice making every show a unique experience and every moment pure artistic creation.
THIS WEEKEND!
FRIDAY: ZACH NUGENT’S DISCO DEAD!
SATURDAY: LARRY KEEL
f. Jay Starling & David Via
MACHINE FUNK w. Mad Iguanas
Tall Boy Beers $2 OFF!
This is the second time we’ve paired up local rockers Mad Iguanas with Machine Funk on the same bill. Machine Funk’s mastery of Widespread Panic energy blends nicely with Mad Iguanas’ original jams. Tonight we honor Mikey Houser, WSP’s original guitarist who brought the “Panic” to the band via his “tunneling” style of play. Come sip on a $2 off Tall Boy and find a place to shed your skin.
BLACK DOG SALVAGE 20TH ANNIVERSARY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
We are excited to be a part of Black Dog Salvage‘s 20th Anniversary Celebration! Saturday, November 9th from 9a-9p Black Dog will celebrate all day with a Holiday Open House and Ezra’s Attic Market will have it’s official unveiling in the loft. 5 Points will be providing live music from Jordan Harman and Isaac Hadden, as well as a Holiday Beverage Bar with hot chocolate, coffees, and ciders where all proceeds go to 5 Points Music Foundation.
There will be food from The Traveling Table and the bountiful Grateful Bread of Floyd. You can even stock up on frozen chicken pies courtesy of The Pie Lady! Black Dog Salvage will host many demonstrations throughout the day including Letterpress Printing with Appalachian Press, Furniture Painting Techniques, Blacksmithing, Plein Air Painting, and more. It’s the holiday season, y’all!
The event will also be a Grand Opening Celebration for Ezra’s Attic Market. Located in the loft of Black Dog Salvage, Tonya Kirk’s carefully curated collection of worthy antiques and uniques will help you properly feather your nest in only the most eco-friendly way! FUN FACT: The first couple to get married at 5 Points Music Sanctuary was Tonya Kirk’s daughter Sarah to Zack Parcell. Little baby Ezra is due any day now…
SATURDAY 11/26 HUDDLE UP MOMS!
Huddle Up Moms (H.U.M.) is a new non-profit organization aimed to educate, inspire, and empower moms of all walks of life in the Roanoke Valley. We invite you to the official launch party on Saturday, November 23rd at 5 Points Music Sanctuary. This FREE event will introduce you to the leaders of this new movement and to other non-profit resources in the area. In partnership with Hoot and Holler: Our Stories. Out Loud., local moms will share their stories on the struggle and triumph of the journey of motherhood. We’ll also be raffling off some great prizes after Hoot and Holler. Click the ticket link to save your seat and get your first three raffle tickets for FREE!
Congratulations to Matt Browning for winning the Blue Ridge PBS “Songs From The Heart” Songwriting Contest. Matt has been an integral part of 5 Points Music Sanctuary’s story. Whether as lead singer/songwriter of The Floorboards or as a visual artist with poster design via Catfish Navigation Co., Matt’s artistic contribution is a cornerstone of The Sanctuary’s foundation. Keep knocking ’em outta the park, Matt!
1. It was Bootsy Collins who christened him “FREEKBASS”
Freekbass (born Chris Sherman) was introduced to Gary “Mudbone” Cooper while playing bass for a band called SHAG. Mudbone asked Freekbass and fellow SHAG guitarist, Chris Donnelly, to play on a compilation Jimi Hendrix tribute album. The recording session was to take place at Bootzilla Rehab Studios, recording den of none other than Boosty Collins. Freekbass and his guitarist, both named “Chris”, were immediately dubbed “Chris Bass” and “Chris Guitar” by Bootsy, in order to not get them confused. But it was when “Chris Bass” laid down his bass tracks that Bootsy called out: “Play that Freaky Bass, Baba!” Bootsy has called him Freekbass from that moment on. It was the beginning of an inspirational and enduring friendship that continues today.
“Freekbass is the new spiritual warrior for the Funk”, Bootsy says. “I’m not a big fan of playing with myself, although I have been accused of doing so in the past (smile)… this is the feeling I get when touchin’ bass with Freekbass.”
2. He is the low end for supergroup Headtronics
Thursday will be Freekbass‘ 3rd time playing the Sanctuary this year! You may have caught him playing the Night Rider’s Ball back in May teaming up with DJ Logic, Steve Molitz of Particle, and Richard Fortus of Guns N Roses in their powerhouse collaboration Headtronics. Freekbass loved the Sanctuary and what 5 Points Music Foundation was all about so he came back in July with his own band The Bump Assembly and a new album, “All The Way This, All The Way That”. It was at this show that Freek melted faces with a legendary Mezzanine solo that has set the bar for incredible 5 Points Music Sanctuary moments.
“Bootsy Collins protégé Freekbass delivers a full-frontal funk experience loaded with more fuzzed-out snapping, slapping, and popping than a kettle full of Rice Krispies.”
Jimmy Leslie, Bass Player Magazine
3. He writes articles for Bass Musician Magazine
Freekbass writes monthly for Bass Musician Magazine with “Bass 2 Bass with Freekbass” where he interviews fellow low end legends. His feature debuted almost a year ago with a piece on Phish phenom Mike Gordon. He also lays down a Spotify Playlist or two.
“As a fellow bass player, I plan to ask questions that interest me from a FreekPerspective and bring each guest on a-bit-of-a Funky journey of their bassMind”
Freekbass
4. He has his own weekly radio show
Funk Radio with Freekbass is a weekly radio show on RadioArtifact.com on Friday nights from 6-8p. Of course, the show is focused on all things Funky. He also does live DJ Radio sets at various locations.
5. He also has a Podcast!
The Backstage Supercast is a deep dive into the Marvel and DC Universes. When funk music icon Freekbass and music writer/videographer Rex-A-Vision get together there’s only one thing on their minds…comic books and comic book movies! Dude, where do you find the time??
BONUS: The video below has nothing to do with Freekbass, but check out this whack cover of Monster Mash from Bootsy & Buckethead.
Happy Halloween Trick or Treaters!
FREEKOUT WITH FREEKBASS!
It’s a 5 Points Friday Freekshow as Freekbass and the Bump Assembly featuring Sammi Garett (from Turkuaz) return to The Sanctuary! Tony Camm & the FUNK Allstars will open the night. Let’s get bumpin’!
FREQUENT FLYER CARDS ARE HERE!
TONIGHT our brand new Frequent Flyer program takes off! Purchase 5 Tickets at 5 Points Music Sanctuary and the 6th Ticket is FREE! We have a limited number of Frequent Flyer Cards available at the Box Office. One card per person. May not be combined with Power Passes.
MELVIN SEALS & JGB featuring JOHN KADLECIK & special guest JENNIFER HARTSWICK!
We’ve hosted Melvin and the band a few times at 5 Points Music Sanctuary, but this night feels EXTRA special! Further’s John Kadlecik will be handling guitar duties and Jennifer Hartswick will be adding her extraodinary vocals and punches of killer trumpet.
Here is Jennifer tearing it up with the band on “Piece of My Heart” – lead vocals & trumpet solo! We can’t breathe!
DHARMA BOMBS / CHUPACABRAS COSTUME PARTY!
This FRIDAY Virginia is for Music Lovers when Dharma Bombs join forces with Chupacabras for a night of our fair state’s finest talent. Dharma Bombs formed in the heart of the Commonwealth with the intention of spreading Appalachian music with a heaping side of Dixieland. Chupacabras dig deep with a cocktail of boogie, funkadelic and surf sounds with thick horns & explosive percussion to get ya movin! Neither will leave you sitting down for long!
DEAD RECKONING HALLOWEEN
Dead Reckoning playing at Halloween has become an annual tradition for The Sanctuary. Plenty of good music, plenty of amazing costumes, and plenty of memories to be made. We will hold a Costume Contest where the winner will receive a sweet 5 Points Swag Pack that includes a 6 Show Power Pass! 5 Points & the band will select the top 3 to come on stage and the final vote will be up to YOU. Don’t miss one of our favorite celebrations of the year – Dead Reckoning Halloween!
TALES FROM THE STRIPPED BURLESQUE
Halloween finds the performers of Out of Body Burlesque right in their element. Another dark and twisted night of seduction from Phoenix Eye Productions (formerly Grave Dancers). Join your favorite tricky treats for burlesque, games, raffles, and all things spooky-ooky!
Featuring Bebe Demure, Caza Blanca, Franki Boom -Boom, Honey Yvonne, Leia Lovecraft, Shirley Sweet, Polaris Van Samus, Starry DeLight, Tabbie Athame, Miss Meccakhan and your hostess with the mostess Momo-a-Gogo!
FREEKBASS HALLOWEEN FREEKSHOW
Come one! Come All! To the freekiest Halloween Freekshow of them all! THURSDAY, October 31st the funky circus comes to town with THRILLS! CHILLS! and BUMPIN’ BASS FILLS as Freekbass & and his band of human curiosities, The Bump Assembly, take center stage! Witness extreme oddities, terrifying impossibilities, and incredible feats of funk. Come early for a Courtyard Carnival featuring fire dancers, a fortune teller, a special showing of “Freaks” and more! Make sure to get in on the act for our Freekshow Costume Contest. And now folks, if you’ll just step this way, you are about to witness the most amazing, the most astounding, living monstrosity of all time…
MAIDEN VOYAGE!
Our very first 5 Points Tour Bus is THIS FRIDAY. Denver funk outfit The Motet are playing Harvester Performance Center in Rocky Mount and 5 Points Music Foundation wants to take you there! After a day at the GO Outside Festival, we’ll all depart from Rivers Edge Park South – a crossroads for the Greenway, Bus Routes and even the Roanoke River. That makes finding Ride Solutions beyond your clunky car excuse-free. Enjoy a drink and an on-point dinner from Wake and Bacon as we take the short jaunt to Rocky Mount while getting fortified for the funk. After the show, we will bring you right back to GoFest where you can tuck yourself into your tent and rest up for more GO Outside Festival all weekend long!
Grab an All-Inclusive Ticket Package for The Motet only at 5pointsmusic.com. GO Outside Festival, as always, is FREE!
“What are you going to bring to yourself and the world? Are you going to bring death, or are you going to bring devotion? The choice is yours. When you listen to this record, I’d love for you to walk away feeling a little bit more connected, whether it be to yourself, to your friends, or to your community. Being able to drop all of the vision for a minute, be present, smile, and dance reminds us we’re all going through this together.”
Lyle Divinsky, lead singer for The Motet, on their latest release Death or Devotion
THE BIG CHILL OFFICIAL AFTERPARTY
If you can’t make this Friday’s run with 5 Points Tour Bus, fear not! Saturday, December 7th our concert with Sons of F.U.N.K. at The Sanctuary is the Official Afterparty of The Big Chill: A FloydFest Ball at Salem Civic Center. Party all night long with Tony Camm & The Funk Allstars, the funkiest bunch Turkuaz, and the LEGENDARY Isley Brothers on their 60th Anniversary! When the ball is over hop on the 5 Points Tour Bus to funk it to the moon with Sons of F.U.N.K. at The Sanctuary! Details to come. #5PointsTour
5 POINTS 5 NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN
Our week long celebration of Halloween starts next THURSDAY October 24th with Melvin Seals & JGB featuring John Kadlecik AND Jennifer Hartswick! Whew! Seating has been going fast on this one so grab those barcodes today!
We are introducing a brand new 5 Points Frequent Flyer card for our hardcore devotees. Attend 5 shows at The Sanctuary with your card and the 6th show is FREE! Frequent Flyer cards will be available on Night One of 5 Points 5 Nights of Halloween and they are absolutely FREE!
SAVE THE DATE: HOLIDAY GALA
SATURDAY, December 28th is our Inaugural Holiday Gala featuring music by Sway Katz Big Band! You’ll be presented with a personal and visual look at the programs and progress of 5 Points Music Foundation. Meet Noel Anderson of Anderson Music Therapy and the families impacted by her programs and hear their stories of the power of sound.
For this annual fundraiser we will auction artwork, tickets, and unique items including the 2019 5 Points Music Autographed Guitar featuring artists who have appeared here throughout the year. Generous 5-course tastings will be provided by both Blue Ridge Catering and River & Rail and kegs of the best local brews from Big Lick Brewery & Parkway Brewery. On this night we say “Thank You” for the generous support of our partners and friends and, of course, celebrate all of the amazing moments of the year! Cheers to 2020!
MORGAN WADE
Floyd’s own Morgan Wade is getting major player recognition for her songwriting. She’s currently working on an album in Nashville with Sadler Vaden, lead guitarist in Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit. Catch her at The Sanctuary this December before ten bucks won’t get you in the door no more!
REBIRTH BRASS BAND
Planning to Mardi Gras in 2020? 5 Points Krewe is bringing the Carnival to you with a celebratory January 31st performance from Grammy Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band!
Whether seen on HBO’s Treme or at their legendary Tuesday night gig at The Maple Leaf, Rebirth Brass Band is a true New Orleans institution. Formed in 1983 by the Frazier brothers, the band has evolved from playing the streets of the French Quarter to playing festivals and stages all over the world. While committed to upholding the tradition of brass bands, they have also extended themselves into the realms of funk and hip-hop to create their signature sound. “Rebirth can be precise whenever it wants to,” says The New York Times, “but it’s more like a party than a machine. It’s a working model of the New Orleans musical ethos: as long as everybody knows what they’re doing, anyone can cut loose.” In the wake of the sometimes-stringent competition among New Orleans brass bands, Rebirth is the undisputed leader of the pack, and they show no signs of slowing down.
OCTOBER FIRE!
If you don’t have tickets for AT LEAST ONE of the next FOUR SHOWS THIS WEEKEND, then just what exactly is going on? THURSDAY Grammy Award-winnin’ fiddlin’ from Infamous Stringduster’s Jeremy Garrett. FRIDAY Newly anointed guitar legend Eric Gales. SATURDAY Internationally renowned masters from Mali Vieux Farka Toure w. Cheick Hamala Diabate. MONDAY The greatest jam mash-up ever created Pink Talking Fish. We’re disrupting your work week with a killer weekend of musical adventure and you should probably just go ahead and grab all of those tickets now!
ERIC GALES LOW TICKET ALERT: Definitely planning on catching the Eric Gales Band this Friday but definitely have not purchased your tickets? Rethink that strategy and reserve them today! This is a Power Pass Restricted event.
PINK TALKING FISH REMINDER: This is an EARLY MONDAY NIGHT show. Doors open at 6:30pm and show starts at 7:30pm. The time had been incorrectly listed online.
Would you like to win tickets to see some of the world’s best performing artists at SW Virginia’s most talked about music venue, 5 Points Music Sanctuary?
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Due to scheduling conflicts we are working on a new date to bring the Grammy Award winning Rebirth Brass Band to the Sanctuary. Stay tuned for a new date!
1. They Hold Down Tuesday at the Maple Leaf in NOLA
Rebirth’s longstanding regular Tuesday night gig at the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street in Uptown New Orleans is one of the pillars of the New Orleans music scene, and has served as a reliable introduction to the city’s nightlife for many new arrivals to the scene. During his speech commemorating the 10th year since Hurricane Katrina, President Barack Obama jokingly mentioned that maybe he’ll “finally hear Rebirth at Maple Leaf on Tuesday night” after he is out of office.
2. They Are Grammy Award Winners
Rebirth Brass Band received the very first Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album. They ARE New Orleans.
3. You May Already Love Them From HBO’s Treme
The band has heavy ties to the HBO TV Series Treme. The band and many of its members appear in several episodes. Their music serves as the score and background music and the trumpet and trombone playing is covered by RBB’s Chadrick Honore and Stafford Agee respectively. Even the character Antoine Batiste is loosely based on the real-life personas of former Rebirth band member Kermit Ruffins and another character based on Agee.
4. They Knocked the Sock Off of Flea
Bassist from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea, is a big fan of the band. “Just saw THE REBIRTH BRASS BAND, unbelievable. Hard as hell, free as a ray of light, there is not a band on earth that is better. Stunning.”
5. You Don’t Have to Go to NOLA to Hear Them Live
Rebirth Brass Band is landing on YOUR doorstep Friday, October 4th via 5 Points Music Sanctuary. Horn players love the acoustics of our music hall and we love horn players! Let’s have a party!
On March 13, 2017, Holly Bowling performed the first “official” concert held at 5 Points Music Sanctuary. During a nearly 2 1/2 hour performance, Holly captivated the audience with classically composed versions of songs from the Grateful Dead and Phish. Guests from far and wide traveled to hear, see, feel, and share in the power of sound with us and helped kick off a movement that is growing stronger with each day, with each event, with each of our Foundation’s programs and initiatives.
LISTEN TO HOLLY BOWLING’S 3.13.17 PERFORMANCE
On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, Holly returns for her 4th appearance at the Sanctuary, following her last time here with Ghost Light (4.19.18), one of the best jam bands on the scene today. She has since shared the stage with some of the biggest names in the industry including Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Page McConnell, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, Ivan Neville, Steve Kimock, Oteil Burbridge, Dave Schools, Branford Marsalis, Greensky Bluegrass and many others.
For us, this event represents a continuation of special relationship with one of our favorite performers. In the nearly 2.5+ years since opening our doors, we have had the honor of hosting a wide variety of musicians and artists from around the world. Upon their first visits, many are unaware of the work we do at 5 Points Music. Upon arrival, we welcome them by sharing our story. We talk about our hearing loss advocacy efforts and our music therapy programs and further share our broader emphasis on celebrating the simple moments that we have with each other and recognize the power that they have.
Holly was the first artist beyond our region to ever hear our story. With each visit back, she helps to reinforce the meaning of our message and further contributes to moments that have made 5 Points Music Sanctuary one of the most talked about music venues on the East coast. With each event here, a moment is shared. For each moment shared, another chapter in the story of 5 Points Music is created. With each chapter, the story of 5 Points Music spreads to artists and audiences far and wide. Through each telling of that story, we are reinforcing the idea that the power of sound is about more than what we hear. It’s also about what we see, what we feel, and what we share together.
Purchase your tickets to see, hear, feel, and share in the power of Holly Bowling and be part of another amazing chapter in the story of 5 Points Music!