Friends of the Library are a female-fronted indie rock/pop band from the DC area. They hope you enjoy the show and the festival. Check them out online at www.myspace.com/thefriendsofthelibrary and on the Welcome Mat Stage at Crafty Bastards June 28 at 10:45 am!

Explain your band/stage name and define your sound.

We are called Friends of the Library. The name is pretty self explanatory, but feel free to read into it as much as you’d like. Our band is a four-piece female-fronted indie rock/ pop band that writes music for the information age. You could describe our sound as twee meets overdrive as they aspire to be the beau ideal.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?

Our influences stem mostly from long forgotten patterns and colors, tangents, historic events, and cult TV shows. Our “musical” influences can be linked to a long list of bands that can be refered to as being indie-pop, 90’s indie rock, brit-pop, brit-rock, post punk, and other pretty vague genre-fications.
As far as gear problems go, our equipment likes to play games with us. It’s hard to narrow down the #1 incident. We treasure them all so much. As we hate to pick favorites(or worsts), they are all our best little favorite headaches.

What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?

Our favorite local hangout would have to be our home away from home WMUC, the University of Maryland’s college radio station. Where we sometimes DJ, sometimes put on shows, and most of the time deal with uncomfortably warm/cool temperature conditions. We prefer Metamorphic stages. Eveyone needs a little change now and then.

How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?

Our band is honored to be Crafty Bastards. To be in the same ranks as the finest peddlers of fabric and fun is quite fantastic! You should all try it and take our word for it.

Where can the adoring public see you next?

The public can next spot us on the now mostly-Arsenic-free stage of Fort Reno, July 10th, with Black and White Jacksons and John Wayne Hero. Come out and support local music!!

The Beanstalk Library sounds like The Beatles and The Band had a bratty baby in the polluted Atlantic Ocean that washed up on the Carolina coast and hitchhiked to Washington, DC. Check them out online at www.thebeanstalklibrary.com and at Crafty Bastards Silver Spring June 28 on the Main Stage at 12:30 pm!

Explain your band name and define your sound.

If you don’t get the band name, go to the library, check out Jack and the Beanstalk, and read it. The music sounds like The Beatles and The Band had a bratty baby in the polluted Atlantic Ocean that washed up on the Carolina coast and hitchhiked to Washington, DC.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?

Influences: In addition to the above, Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello, The Who, books/films/dance/politics/life. Worst equipment story: Every time we play with Exit Clov we have to go to the music store afterward, because they are thieves.

What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?

Favorite local hangout: Anywhere good bands are playing, record stores that sell new and/or used vinyl, Galaxy Hut for drinking beer, Nationals park. Best stage: It’s kind of out of the way, but Jammin’ Java has to take the edge for being the only stage that we actually fit on comfortably, but IOTA is bar none the best place to play, nice people, impeccable sound, delicious food. If you like a band, you must see them there.

How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?

We support any art that is made without regard for the machine of mass-production, that is one of a kind, that is made with love, care, and personality. So, obviously, it’s an honor to share this day with all of the other bands and craftsmen and women.

Where can the adoring public see you next?

We’ll be in and out of town this summer, but our next BIG show is at the aforementioned IOTA on August 14th.

Arthur Harrison, a member of “The Cassettes,” specializes in the “theremin.” He’s performed extensively throughout the country providing the public with the unique experience of this seldom-seen instrument. Check him out online at www.harrisoninstruments.com and June 28 at Crafty Bastards Silver Spring on the Welcome Mat Stage at 12:15 pm!

Explain your band/stage name and define your sound.

Well, I actually use my REAL name when I’m doing solo gigs like this appearance for Crafty Bastards. Otherwise, I appear with my three comrades as “The Cassettes.” My sound is best described as “early electronic,” as the theremin is indeed one of the earliest-invented all-electronic instruments. As for style, my solo performances, as I will be presenting for this venue, embrace mostly American standards from the 1920s to the 1960s, and variations thereof.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?

I was born and raised in New York, so the influences of Broadway have made their indelible mark on me. I am also influenced by the avant-garde electronic genre, such as work by Ligeti; and the experimental genre, such as work by Cage. I also like many Rock classical sounds as offered by groups such as Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. My worst equipment experiences are related to radio interference at my theremin frequencies, but my present instruments are specifically designed to avoid these problems.

What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?

These days, there’s hardly any time to hang out, but I occasionally catch a friend’s show at places like Galaxy Hut in Arlington.

How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?

I appreciate the opportunity to be here, and to support community artisans!

Where can the adoring public see you next?

My group, “The Cassettes,” have big shows planned for Richmond (”Toad’s Place”) on June 14, and in Arlington at “IOTA” on June 15. Our NEW Album is being mixed!

Started by Chris DeWitt in 2005, Sweet Teeth began as a minimal folk outfit, and has since grown into its own more electrified sound. Check them out online at www.myspace.com/bearclawtx and at Crafty Bastards Silver Spring June 28 on the Welcome Mat stage at 4:00 pm!

Explain your band/stage name and define your sound.
My main hobby in high school was coming up with band names. My friends and I would sit in chemistry class crafting massive lists of band names, swapping them, honing our skills. Evidently that exercise didn’t do much good. It does the job, though.

Our sound started off lush and folky, with strings and woodwinds, the occasional trumpet, and also guitar and banjo. Sometime last year, after a brief hiatus during which I was out of the country and then out to sea, I caught what you might call the rock bug, the illness that makes the afflicted want to play music real loud. So we had a lineup change (there was never really a set lineup before anyway)– now we’re two guitars and drums (both other members are from the DC band Black and White Jacksons). Our songs are still tinged with Americana, though I’m not sure exactly how. Tim, the other guitarist, is a wunderkind, bona fide. He really helped rearrange and reimagine all the old songs in this new context, which was a fun experience. This incarnation is, I think, a lot more fun than the other lineups.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?
Influences include Townes van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie “Prince” Billy (and I guess all Will Oldham projects), The Spinanes, Spencer E. Dobbs… Ask me again later and they’ll all be different, but that’s the way of things. I find I write a lot of songs about the weather and about the seasons, so I suppose I should list those as well.

Worst equipment experiences: We were playing a show at American University once and I knocked over my banjo before we started. The bridge flopped over and I almost cried, I thought I’d destroyed the poor thing. Luckily, I did not.

What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?
My front porch in Mt Pleasant is quite, um, pleasant. We had a mint julep party there once, in honor of the Kentucky Derby. It was a lovely affair. But there are rad hangouts too numerous to name littered all over this fine city.

The best stage, eh? I don’t know. The best show we had in this lineup was at the Red and the Black with this band called Twin Tigers from Athens, Ga. They’re awesome. The stage isn’t THAT great, but the memories are, I suppose. I’m in some other bands in town (myspace.com/wildfictions, myspace.com/fffever), and I think the Velvet Lounge space is the best. Take that, everyone else.

How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?

I feel great! It’ll be really fun to play all minstrel-esque out on the street, untethered by wires and whatnot. We’ll get back to our roots, as it were.

Where can the adoring public see you next?
Well. Many opportunities, for both those who live in DC and those less fortunate: July 19th in Manassas, Va, at El Taco (probably just as awesome as it sounds), July 26th at DC9 w/ FEVER and Kitty Hawk and Hot Lava, and July 28th down in Fredericksburg, Va at an acoustic house show. Also I’ll be featured at an Open Mic at Dahlak down on 18th and Florida on August 14th if you prefer the solo thing. See you there.

The Droptops are a high-energy rockabilly trio whose sound is derived from their love of 1950s rock n’ roll, rockabilly, and country recordings. Check them out online at www.thedroptops.com and on the Main Stage at Crafty Bastards Silver Spring June 28 as part of the Rockabilly Rave Up at 3:30 pm!

Explain your band name and define your sound.

Our sound is traditional rockabilly influenced by 50s rockers and western swing.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?

We are influenced by early 50s rock and roll, blues, and western swing, especially the Sun Records sound.

What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?

The Droptops love to play the Quarry House in Silver Spring. The crowd always gets up on their feet and the beer selection is amazing. Plus, they serve tater tots! However, the best stage we’ve played is the Rock N’ Roll Hotel on H Street.

How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?

I don’t know if The Droptops can be considered “crafty” in any way. But “bastards”? Yes, definitely.

Where can the adoring public see you next?

You can catch The Droptops in Maryland at Fletchers in Baltimore on 7/13 (www.fletchersbar.com), The Quarry House in Silver Spring on 8/16 (www.quarryhousetavern.com), The Barn in Baltimore on 8/29 (www.myspace.com/karbkingscc), and The Mobtown Greaseball in Baltimore on 9/19 (www.myspace.com/karbkingscc). Hope to see you there!

Montgomery Fox is a bombastic folk musician. He sings, shouts and blows (on his harp) original and otherwise tributes and criticisms to the world. He also does fun kiddie tunes…. now that he has a toddler. Check him out online at www.myspace.com/theberbers and at Crafty Bastards Silver Spring June 28 on the Welcome Mat stage at 1:30 pm!

Explain your band/stage name and define your sound.
Montgomery Fox is my name. I think four syllables and then one syllable in a row makes for a cool sounding name. I did it with my son too.
My sound is bombastic folk.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?
Pretty much life is an influence. food and other things too. Worst equipment experience was 1995 in a beach motel with Chrissy Oberthaler.

What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?
I play at POLLY”S CAFE on U St, NW b/t 13th and 14th nearly every 2ND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH. That’s every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Along with other local sensations such as Texana Jones, Jerry Busher, Members of Girl Loves Distortion, etc….

How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?
Being a Fox, I know what it’s like to be “crafty” and I personally know something about being a “bastard”. So I’m just feeling at home. Also got many friends shwoing and selling their crafts.

Where can the adoring public see you next?
Friday June 13th @ ArtoMatic 7pm —–Saturday June 21New Community Artspace 614 S Street, NW 6pm —- 2nd Wed every Month @ Polly’s Cafe on U St, NW b/t 13th and 14th.

With soaring vocals, hard-rocking rockabilly, and a heartfelt way with a ballad, D.C. native J.P. McDermott is breathing fresh air into one of America’s great musical traditions. Check him out online at www.westernbop.com and at Crafty Bastards Silver Spring on 6/28 as part of the Rockabilly Rave Up on the Main Stage at 3:30 pm!

1. Explain your band/stage name and define your sound.

The J.P. McDermott part is not too hard to figure — people called me J.P. when I was very young, then switched to calling me by my middle name (Patrick). When I started playing rockabilly in earnest, I decided to go back to J.P. because Patrick McDermott sounds a little too much like a guy who wears a green vest and sings “Danny Boy” and “The Unicorn Song”. My version of “Danny Boy” is pretty respectable, but I only sing it on St. Patrick’s Day.

“Western Bop” was one of the earliest names for rock and roll — they hadn’t quite settled on the name yet. Buddy Holly’s first business card advertised “Western and Bop” music. When Elvis Presley first toured Texas, back before he was a big national star he was billed as “The King of Western Bop”. Since these guys and their music is a primary source for me, Western Bop seemed like a natural fit.

2. What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?

My influences are the pioneers of rockabilly and rock and roll — people like Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison and Elvis and Warren Smith. Tex Rubinowitz was a Washington area legend who played a lot when I started seeing live music. He was like the original rockers in that he really put his heart and soul into getting the song across. It was absolute surrender to the song and the energy in the room every time. Those shows really inspired me.

My worst equipment experiences all relate to my less-than-delicate style with the guitar. I’m not a finesse player, to say the least. This leads to a lot of broken strings. I’ve gotten better over the years, but even today if the weather is hot and humid, and the crowd is really into it, I might finish a song with a lot less than six strings on my guitar. Out of necessity I’ve gotten relatively proficient at finishing up a set with only a few remaining strings.

3. What’s your favorite local hangout and best stage you’ve played?

Favorite hangout is the Quarry House. The beer menu, the interesting bar staff, the inebriated regulars, the tater tots, the stage tucked in right by the ladies room — it’s really kind of magical.

The best stage was definitely a place called Kahunaville in Wilmington, DE. We played a big car show there, and it was quite impressive — huge stage, gigantic lighting grid above — the full rockshow set up. Plus — an entire warren of dressing rooms. Journey had played just a couple of days before us, and there were signs all over the place like “Catering”,”Massage Room”, and so forth. Unfortunately, the masseuses had moved on, but it was a brush with the big time.

4. How do you feel about being a Crafty Bastard?

A little bit seedy, but in a good way.

5. Where can the adoring public see you next?

Lots of places, but the best bet is the Quarry House Tavern, every other Saturday night — June 28, July 12, July 26, etc, ad infinitum if all goes well…

We’re excited to have some really awesome local music at the fair this year! In addition to the always popular Main Stage, we’re adding The Welcome Mat Stage at the entrance of the fair, where you can see excellent acoustic performances. There will be cool music to see and hear all day long, so be sure to check back here for profiles on all the performers and the schedule so you can make sure not to miss your favorites!

More details coming soon! Want to start planning your trip to the fair? Check out our vendor gallery!