Sirius.B (band)

Sirius.B

Sirius.B
Background information
Origin Asheville, NC, United States
Genres Gypsy Punk
World Music
Indie Rock
Years active 2006–present
Website www.siriusbmusic.com
Members Pancho Romero Bond
Xavier Ferdón
Imhotep
Franklin Keel
Mattick Frick
Brian Hermanson
Lee Stanford
Ryan Kijanka
Mike Oliver
Past members Lauren Baker
Bryshen Brothwell
Rachael Kistler
Amy Lovinger
Mike Morel
Branco Cotes
Jamie Davis
Laura Baskervill
Hannah Furgiuele
Bruce Comings

Sirius.B is an eight-piece musical group from Asheville, NC. It was formed in late 2006 by Xavier Ferdón, Pancho Romero Bond, and Imhotep and takes its name from the white dwarf star, Sirius B. The band describes itself as "Absurdist Gypsy Folk Funk Punk". Sirius.B combines accordion, volin, cello, acoustic guitar, flamenco and electric guitar, charango, banjo, African drums, marching band percussion, snare drum, upright bass, melodica, clarinet, and multi-lingual vocals to create a sound that has a gypsy feel, but with elements from other modern genres.[1][2]

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2014, Sirius.B was voted:

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2013, Sirius.B was voted:

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2012, Sirius.B was voted:

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2011, Sirius.B was voted:

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2010, Sirius.B was voted:

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2009, Sirius.B was voted:

In addition, Sirius.B also won awards in the Best of WNC 2008[4] and Best of WNC 2007.[5] Mountain Xpress writes, "folk-punk artists Sirius B are, according to Xpress readers, the ones to watch."[6]

Sirius.B's songs can be heard on regional radio stations such as 88.7FM WNCW, 105.9FM The Mountain, 98.1FM The River, 880AM The Revolution,[7] and Power 90.5FM.[8] They have also made a live appearance on the WDVX Knoxville Blue Plate Special, which has hosted other artists such as Bela Fleck and The Avett Brothers.

In addition to the Asheville area, they tour regionally to venues in Atlanta and Athens, GA; Columbia and Charleston, SC; and Knoxville and Johnson City, TN. They often host ticket sales on their main website. The Mountain Xpress states that "The excitement of a Sirius.B show has been compared by the press to what 'one would imagine Athens’s 40 Watt Club to have been like in the early days of R.E.M."[9][10]

Their original album, "Dazzling Urbanites" was released on May 3, 2008.[11]

Their second album, "Monkey Robot Soldier" was released on March 27, 2010.[12]

Their third album, "The Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman" was recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studio[13] and released on Sept 28, 2012, after raising $9,150 through their Kickstarter campaign.

Line-up

Current members

[14]

In the Asheville Symphony Orchestra Franklin Keel is the Assistant Principal Cellist.[15]

Lovinger and Keel also are members of the Opal String Quartet.[16]

Former Members

[17]

Frick and Brothwell are also members of The Bloodroot Orkaestarr. [18]

Special Guests

Discography

External links

Press

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2007/020310getting_sirius | Article in Mountain XPress Vol. 16 / Iss. 28 on 02/03/2010
  2. ↑ http://www.siriusbmusic.com/bio.php Biography from Sirius.B website
  3. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/bestof/2009/2009arts_and_entertainment | Mountain Xpress Best of 2009 voting results
  4. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/bestof/2008/2008arts_and_entertainment
  5. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/bestof/2007/2007entertain
  6. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/bestof/2007/2007entertain
  7. ↑ http://vimeo.com/9854742 | Video of Sirius.B's appearance on radio station 880 The Revolution
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2007/show_review_siriusb_at_bobo_gallery | Show Review from Mountain XPress by Alli Marshall on 10/18/2007
  10. ↑ http://www.siriusbmusic.com/bio.php | Biography from Sirius.B Website
  11. ↑ http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2008/05/02/dazzling-urbanites
  12. ↑ http://ashvegas.squarespace.com/journal/2010/3/23/ashevilles-siriusb-to-hold-cd-release-party-march-27.html
  13. ↑ http://www.echomountain.net/clients
  14. ↑ http://www.siriusbmusic.com/theband.php | Current lineup as listed on the official Sirius.B website
  15. ↑ http://www.ashevillesymphony.org/about/musicians | Asheville Symphony Orchestra's list of Musicians
  16. ↑ http://www.myspace.com/opalstringquartet | The Opal String Quartet's MySpace Page
  17. ↑ http://siriusbmusic.com/history.php | Former Members of Sirius.B
  18. ↑ http://www.myspace.com/thebloodrootorkaestarr | The Bloodroot Orkaestarr's MySpace Page
  19. ↑ http://www.xguitars.com/proddetail.php?prod=SB_Monkey_Robot_Soldier | Special guests on album "Monkey Robot Soldier" listed on description of CD
  20. ↑ http://ashvegas.squarespace.com/journal/2010/3/23/ashevilles-siriusb-to-hold-cd-release-party-march-27.html
  21. ↑ http://www.siriusbmusic.com/music.php | Sirius.B discs listed on their the official Sirius.B website
  22. ↑ http://www.siriusbmusic.com/music.php | Sirius.B discs listed on their the official Sirius.B website
  23. ↑ http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/SiriusB | Sirius.B discs listed on CDBaby.com