Doria Roberts House Concert on Friday, Nov. 9

Doria Roberts returns to Baltimore for another great house concert at Holden's Lair! The show is Friday, Nov. 9 at 8pm. Come see an artist whose music has been described as "a delicious, almost indescribable but most definitely bohemian blend of folk, rock, R&B, and jazz."

When: Friday, Nov. 9 @ 8pm
Where: 3208 Dudley Ave., Holden's Lair House Concerts
Cost: $10 (all cost goes to artist)



An internationally touring artist, Ms. Roberts has carved an eclectic career that has seen her perform at Lilith Fair, share the stage with diverse artists as Alice Walker, Odetta, John Mayer, and the Indigo Girls, and headline Gay Pride events around the continent.Roberts' performances are effortless and seamless melds of her diverse musical heritage into a solid set of provocative musings on life and love and everything that happens in between.

Press Quotes:

"A searing sunset performance of intense, incendiary and eloquently literate folk and soul from one of Atlanta's busiest and brightest artists. While also internationally known as an activist and educator, Roberts' finest work is her intimate yet communal rapport with -- and command of -- an audience." (Creative Loafing - Atlanta)
<>"Roberts grafts the whip smart elocution of Ani DiFranco to the soul of Lauryn Hill". (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

"To see Doria Roberts on stage is to love her and to love her, if you are a straight male, is to walk away brokenhearted. The lady has chops and her live show, a spicy blend of passion, bohemian folk and jazz, will make you feel like you've been ridden hard and put away wet. She's angry, she's black, she's beautiful, she's smart, she swears a lot, she's sexy as hell, she plays guitar, she's intense, she's a lesbian and she's a killer lyricist." (Hippo Press - Weekend Arts Feature - Manchester, NH)

"No ordinary folkie, Roberts street wise sass and skilled but unpretentious guitar prowess immediately puts her step above the rest". (Creative Loafing Charlotte, NC)
Check out
http://holdenslair.blogspot.com for more information on the show, plus
lots of photos from previous shows. Also, check out Doria Roberts' website at http://www.doriaroberts.com or her myspace page at
http://www.myspace.com/doriaroberts

Holden's Lair is a house
concert venue doing monthly (not quite that often anymore) shows since
May of 2002 in Baltimore, MD. In all, we've put on about 30 shows, and
get about 20-25 people to each one to see a great live music show.


If you've never been to a House concert at Holden's Lair, they are a
laid back affair. Everyone usually brings a dish to pass and everyone
chats in between the breaks. If we know you're coming, we often wait
until you get here until we begin. The artist mingles with the fans,
signing CDs and schmoozing. A box is passed around and the money is
collected, and all of it goes to the performer. Children are welcome,
and don't be surprised if a friendly cat jumps in your lap or starts
mewing to the music, or if a slightly overweight dog(s) gives you sad
eyes, hoping for a treat off your plate.

If you have allergies to dogs and cats, please Allegra or Claritin. Two cats and two dogs are all over the place here.

A few rules:
Please RSVP by e-mailing before the show so I know the number to expect.
Please try to get here before the performer begins
Please bring food or drink to pass

The Return of Holden's Lair! Sam Shaber performs Saturday, September 22!

When: Saturday, September 22, 2007, 8pm
Where: Holden's Lair, now located at 3208 Dudley Ave.
Cost: $10 (all goes to performer)
Please: RSVP

IN BRIEF:
One of our all-time favorites, Sam Shaber, brings her "raw pop" sound from New York to Los Angeles, and everywhere in between. (Go to her website or her Myspace page.)

She's the one who is officially bringing Holden's Lair (which might better be known as Holden and Norman's Lair, now) back after a year away!



FACTS:

-- Brand-new digital EP "Sassy," released September 20, 2007!
-- Sam's song "Solitaire" featured on recent episode of ABC Family's
primetime show "Wildfire."
-- 2003 album "eighty numbered streets" produced by Grammy nominee
Shawn Mullins ("Lullaby"), with performances by Mullins and
Sugarland's Kristen Hall.
-- new song "Jersey to OC" voted #1 at CoastLocalz high school record
label
-- Voted Top Female Performer at Femmusic.com
-- Sam's song "All of This" placed at #1 on Quiznos National In-Store
Playlist
-- Hear Sam's new band Sam Shaber and The Bones at myspace.com/samshaber


BIO:

In her bones...

Sam Shaber likes to make her fans happy. This is why, for the last
two years, she has been on a perpetual "Taper's Tour," touring
nationally and inviting people to take home her unique blend of raw
pop by recording the shows. She also likes to play "all-request"
gigs where fans can email requests for their favorite Shaber songs in
advance, effectively writing the set-list themselves. Shaber took
this one step further on February 18th, 2006 when she recorded her
recent live album, "in my bones (live in chicago)." Fans from all
over the country were encouraged to email requests, and the result is
a collection of previously unreleased songs that have long been crowd
favorites. And now Shaber releases a follow-up EP, "Sassy," on
September 20th with three new energetic raw pop tunes. Don't miss
her emotional, driving, live show!

First Show: Saturday, September 30 with Kyler England!

Kyler England Performs on Saturday, September 30! Please RSVP!

Her website

Her Myspace Site

Listening to any Kyler England song, it's easy to believe you're hearing a classic in the making: gorgeous, organic pop music that speaks to your heart like a close friend. Her soulful voice draws you in with its fragile strength, then leaves you breathless when it soars to brilliant heights. She sings like you'd always wished you could, with all the raw honesty of your most painful moments and all the beauty of your fiercest hopes. There is something universal going on here, something magical. Comparisons to Sarah McLachlan and Patty Griffin are mere approximations; Kyler has a style and charisma all her own.

But it's not only her voice. There's a good reason why Kyler England has won numerous songwriting awards, and garnered such acclaim for her recent album "A Flower Grows In Stone," including Best Alternative Rock Album of 2004 in the Indie Acoustic Project Awards. With a natural instinct for melody and lyrics, honed during a stint at the renowned Berklee School of Music, she crafts songs that are not only addictively catchy but full of depth. The simplicity of her words, which matches her crystal-clear, elegant sound, nonetheless conveys a deep well of emotion and wisdom--for even in her darkest material, there is always the glimmer of optimism.

Kyler's strengths are front and center on her new EP "The Green Room Sessions", masterfully produced by longtime collaborator Richard Oliver Furch. In "No More Sad Songs," she muses "Why is it always me/seeing question marks in places/where the answers used to be," before making a plaintive but reaffirming statement:

No more sad songs tonight
Come on, love, bring me back to life
Make it all stand still, stand still
No more sad songs tonight

The vibrant, driving first track "What You're Looking For" shines the spotlight on her powerful vocals, starting low and sultry in the verses, then building towards the final climax where she cries: "Do you even know what you're looking for? Do you even know?" It's hard not to get shivers--and then let the question haunt you.

The heartbreaking "Lay It On Me", and "If You Want Me To," which perfectly captures the delicious agony of unrequited love, are no less masterful works of songwriting. Every moment on this EP would be as equally at home on the radio as in someone's collection of lifelong favorites.

Kyler England is poised for a breakthrough, and is looking for the right label to take things to the next level. With Los Angeles as a home base, she's touring extensively across the US, playing more than a hundred shows each year from 2003-2006, and has shared the stage with Sting, Melissa Etheridge, Gavin DeGraw and Annie Lennox among many others. Those in the know in the independent music world are well acquainted with Kyler's tremendous talent, and know it's only a matter of time before she bursts onto the mainstream scene.

A green room may be where performers wait to go on, but with "The Green Room Sessions," the time has come for Kyler to take center stage.

Awards & Accomplishments:
- Featured on Life & Love- Girls Night Out Vol 5 Compilation available nationally in Target(2005)
- Featured in Performing Songwriter Magazine DIY Spotlight (2005)
- A Flower Grows In Stone Awarded Best Alternative Rock CD by Indie Acoustic Project (2004)
- First Place in the Unisong International Contest (2004)
- 2 First Place Awards in the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest (2003 & 2004)
- Performed at Toronto Film Festival (2004)
- Touring Nationally Clubs, Colleges & House Concerts over 100 shows per year (2003-present)
- Winner North Carolina Songwriters Competition (2002)
- Featured on Shekinah Epic Compilation (2002)
- Nominated for Boston Music Award (2000)

Radio:
- Garnered Airplay on more than 100 Radio Stations (AAA, Hot AC) (2004 & 2005)
- Charted on R&Rs Indicator Most Added Chart (2004)
- Featured on WXPN Womens Music Hour (2005)
- Featured NPR Here & Now & Women In Music (2003)

Shared The Stage with...
Sting, Annie Lennox, Melissa Etheridge, Teitur, Gavin DeGraw, Avril Lavigne, Meredith Brooks, Liz Phair, Emm Gryner, Pete Yorn, Josh Joplin, Vienna Teng, Mary Lou Lord, to name a few.

"Kyler England writes and sings of live wires and brushfires - things that are fast to ignite and faster still to burn out. Rife with complex melodies and emotional honesty, her songs crackle to life with her sultry, magnetic delivery." -Asheville Citizen Times

"Compassionate and introspective songs, all performed with confidence and intimacy."
-Performing Songwriter Magazine

Sam Shaber Performs This Sunday (6/18) at 6pm!

Just a quick final reminder that Sam Shaber is performing at Holden's Lair this Sunday (June 18) at 6pm! All invited, spread the word!

If you've never seen Sam before, you're in for a treat - she's a soulful pop-folk singer with smoky vocals and a funny, charismatic stage presence. Folkweb.net calls her a "riveting performer."

If you've seen her before, this time is unique because this is her OFFICIAL Baltimore CD release of her new CD "in my bones: Live in Chicago". It's a great new CD of hers that you'll want to pick up. Plus, for the first time ever, she's bringing along an opening act: Matthew Moon of Denver.

Please RSVP. I'm especially worried about attendance at this show because of the unusual time and holiday.

More info:
Holden's Lair: http://holdenslair.blogspot.com
Sam Shaber: samshaber.com, Her Myspace page
Matthew Moon: MatthewMoon.com, His Myspace page

Thank you!

Next show: Sunday, June 18 @ 6pm

We're so proud to present that Baltimore Sam Shaber CD Release Party for her new live CD "in my bones (live in Chicago)" at a special show time of 6pm on a Sunday!

We're so excited to be having Los Angeles-based Sam Shaber back for the fifth time (check out the photos in the links to the right)! Kick off the summer the right way and come on out and see her perform. If you've never seen or heard Sam Shaber perform before, you're in for a special treat. Sam Shaber's strong guitar style and broad voice have won comparisons as diverse as Alanis Morissette, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Wonder. And her passion for showing an audience a good time is never more clear than in this intimate, raw, live release - which she's officially releasing in Baltimore at this very show. Because "in my bones" is put together without pauses, the listener lives an entire show from beginning to end, a true document of one night, one Shaber, in Chicago.



Sam is bringing along great Colorado singer-songwriter Matthew Moon. We're excited about seeing him for the first time here in Baltimore.

And, as with most musicians these days, both Sam and Matt have Myspace pages with free downloads or samples.

Sam Shaber's Myspace page

Matthew Moon's Myspace page

Andru Bemis photos

Andru Bemis performed on Saturday, April 29. It was a great show, full of roots music, story songs, and banjo picking.


Andru Bemis hails from my hometown of South Haven, MI. Click to see my South Haven photo album. It's a beautiful city.




Andru played both banjo and guitar throughout the show.






Nick was trying to get everyone to join in on his dancing, but he was the only one. He sure looked like he had fun, though.






That red, red hair is that of Jenna Casey-Colter.


Super fans and Polish girls Gosia and Ola and their permagrins.


Holden attempts to maul a guest.

Andru Bemis performs on Saturday, April 29!

Andru Bemis performs this weekend! Make your reservations today!



Andru's Myspace page w/ downloads

Since early 2002, Andru Bemis has wandered the ends, edges and in-betweens of North America- by thumb, train, bus and motorbike- playing his original songs of love, loss and longing for anyone who will listen. He's traveled more than 100,000 miles- banjo, guitar and occasional fiddle or banjo-ukulele in tow- promoting his first two albums, "Plays Past His Bedtime" and "Singer." In 2005, Bemis collected his favorite tunes learned from these wanderings and put them to tape for the Massachusetts traditional music label, Wepecket Island Records. Now, with a new album of mostly old songs, aptly titled "Rail to Reel," Andru Bemis is back on track for his most extensive tour yet.

While Andru's travels and lifestyle earn him frequent comparisons to Carl Sandburg, John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie, it's his unmistakeable voice, inventive self-taught banjo and guitar styles and exquisitely crafted tunes of travel, love and longing which have brought him rapid success and respect throughout the US and Canada. Upon hearing a 2002 performance in Door County, Wisconsin, noted humorist, author and radio host Garrison Keillor commented, "the ability to play such a beautiful song is a rare gift, and a power of which I can only dream." The Birmingham (AL) Weekly calls him a "modern-folk, Midwestern miracle of music ... (with a voice that) is pretty and ravaged, sounding as though 50 Appalachian winters have run him ragged."