Nat Johnson is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Sheffield, England. She first found fame through her band Monkey Swallows the Universe, who released two albums to critical acclaim before announcing an 'indefinite hiatus' at the end of 2007. Nat is currently working on solo material, available from her myspace: http://www.myspace.com/judybeat. her new website can be found at http://www.natjohnson.co.uk
Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter, Danny Schmidt has been building an enthusiastic (nearly cult-like) following while simultaneously inspiring the admiration of his fellow artists and critical acclaim from industry professionals. He is the real deal, an authentic timeless troubadour in the tradition of Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Dave Carter, who delivers his craft with a quiet power, a level of complexity, and an underlying humanity that is truly rare in this age of sound bite marketeering.
the bastard son of hefner and aberfeldy, fronted by a teenage kevin devine
This band won the contest to be the first unsigned artist to be featured on the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine. From the prairie city of Saskatoon, Canada come the Sheepdogs, 4 young gentlemen who revel in the joy of rock n roll so wholeheartedly, it's downright contagious. Sporting the long-haired looks of their musical forefathers, the lads make the most of their 2 guitars, bass and drums combo.
The Thieves combine the intricate power of Rush with the catchy west coast folk of Fleetwood Mac. Formed in 2008 out of a recording/song writing project and a love of atmospheric sounds, heavy riffs and catchy melodies - influenced by bands such as Rush, Yes, It Bites and Marillion, Fleetwood Mac, Dream theater & Porcupine tree. The thieves released the Hollow Dreams EP in Feb 2010 and are nearing the completion of their debut album with more gigs dates to be announced very soon....
Hailing from the grasslands of Western China, Marmur is a legendary figure from China's underground music scene. Described as the 'Lou Reed of the grasslands', Marmur's music combines traditional Kazakh folk melodies and instruments with Western and traditional Chinese instruments. Marmur's band 'IZ' is credited with single-handedly kickstarting China's alt-country scene and has influenced a huge range of acts including Mongol-crossover pioneers, Hanggai.
The Hittites / Yr Hethiaid The Hittites launched their career in the unreconstructed Y Cwps (The Coopers Arms pub in Aberystwyth) a year or so ago. The Hittites are not your conventional folk outfit. With a growing catalogue of their own compositions The Hittites mix traditional sounds with contemporary themes (mobile phones, McDonalds etc.). They have a striking visual presence and would make a great study for a cartoonist.
