13 Stories

You know this Atlanta act from a Ford commercial: Theirs is the “Beep-beep” song. 13 Stories’ frothy, infectious numbers are buoyed by the made-for-video, blond-ambition duo of front woman Cheri D. and guitarist Cat. Still riding the success of their 2006 debut, FunkyPopSexyHouseRap (which pretty much sums up their style), the band is a regional favorite party act.
Saturday, 3:30-4:45 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: pop

The Afromotive

Asheville’s own 10-piece Afrobeat ensemble blends the best of tribal rhythms, soulful grooves, R&B-inspired dance moves and pop-savvy lyrical hooks. Despite their stage-crowding size, The Afromotive is a tightly wound machine, delivering complex polyrhythms and West African-inspired sounds. Dancer and drummer Kevin Meyame (originally from the Ivory Coast) leads this collaborative effort.
Saturday, 6:45-8:15 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: Afrobeat

Balsam Range

Based “where the Smokies meet the Blue Ridge,” this bluegrass quintet draws on influences from gospel, the Grand Ole Opry, their Scots-Irish ancestry and a healthy dose of Western swing for good measure. Banjo master Marc Pruett got a Grammy for his work with Ricky Skaggs, mandolinist Darren Nicholson won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Album of the Year award, and fiddler Buddy Melton has shared stages with Sam Bush and Rhonda Vincent.
Friday, 7:15-8:45 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: bluegrass

Big Fat Gap

Chapel Hill, N.C.’s six-member bluegrass collective used their self-titled debut release to record their own six-year history. In reverse chronological order, no less. But bluegrass fans don’t need a timeline to appreciate the traditional sounds and finger-picking prowess of this group. Since taking their name from one of the few remaining stands of old-growth virgin forest, Big Fat Gap has proved their dedication to history — both ancient and recent.
Friday, 4-5 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: bluegrass

Billy Jonas

With rings on his fingers and bells on his toes (make that ankles), Billy Jonas makes music wherever he goes. But this found-rhythms innovator (Jonas cajoles sounds from bells, buckets, water bottles and more) isn’t just a kids’ act. His latest disc, Get Real, tackles guitar, bass, Middle Eastern and African percussion and touches on themes of politics, spirituality and love.
Sunday, 3:45-5:15 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: fun folk

Brian Langlinais

For Nashville (by way of Louisiana) artist Brian Langlinais, making music means paying tribute to all of his many influences, from rock and blues to honky-tonk and Zydeco. Of his debut album, Rock & Fire, he says, “The whole point is to evoke emotion, touch the soul.” His trademark gritty vocals underscore the roadhouse sensibilities of his hook-heavy tunes.
Saturday, 2-3 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: blues rock

Building 429

Rocketing from relative college-band obscurity to chart-topping stars in a matter of mere months, Building 429 has been a hot commodity in Christian-rock circles since the release of their 2004 single “Glory Defined.” That song helped earn the group the 2005 New Artist of the Year award from the Gospel Music Association, and launched a career that includes three full-length studio albums in a mere four years.
Sunday, 1-2 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: Christian rock

Buncombe Turnpike

Billing themselves as “bluegrass not far off the beaten path,” Buncombe Turnpike is a strictly local venture. Now 10 years and three albums into its career, the quintet blends contemporary and traditional influences into their gospel and bluegrass repertoire. Their most recent release, Picker’s Paradise, was named among the top bluegrass albums of 2006 by listeners of WNCW.
Saturday, 4:30-6 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: bluegrass

The Cheeksters

Sleek, party-perfect Brit-pop band The Cheeksters (fronted by husband-and-wife team Mark Casson and Shannon Hines) manage to balance retro ’60s and ’80s motifs with modern sounds. Their recently released disc, Movers and Shakers, is a solidly entertaining collection of catchy songs and infectious melodies. Whether performing as a duo or as a full band, The Cheeksters are a pop powerhouse.
Saturday, 1:15-2:15 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: Brit pop

Chris Barron

If you’ve hummed along with “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” you already know Chris Barron’s penchant for a catchy pop song. The Spin Doctors’ frontman has paid his dues through ’90s rock, a devastating voice injury, and now a burgeoning solo career. Though Barron is a little bit older and wiser than in his Spin Doctors heyday, his songwriting skills have matured and mellowed to pop-savvy (with a touch of quirk) perfection.
Saturday, 1:45-3 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: pop

Cisco Playboys

Location, location, location ... unless you’re Asheville’s premier Western-swing band, Cisco Playboys. In that case, geography has little to do with artistic inspiration. This five-piece swing, honky-tonk and Cajun band is an amalgamation of some of the area’s best musicians and their farflung influences. Offering a heady brew, the humorous outfit is a festival and dancehall favorite.
Friday, 5-6:30 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: swing

Corey Harris

and the 5x5 Band Part anthropologist, part root doctor, Corey Harris cuts a formidable figure but sings with angelic soul. His music delves into African and American roots traditions infused with reggae rhythms and crosscultural themes. Harris has traveled and studied extensively in Africa and seamlessly melds Malian culture with deep-Southern history — all while entertaining his audience and laying down danceable grooves.
Saturday, 4:15-5:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: reggae

Cowboy Mouth

Forget the cowboy part (the band’s name comes from a Sam Shepard play) — the only wrangling happening here involves a contagious mix of rock, punk and pop. High energy and hard travel distinguish Cowboy Mouth, a band whose career has spanned two decades and who dedicate themselves to promoting their hometown of New Orleans. Hit songs include “Everybody Loves Jill” and their noteworthy closer, “Jenny Says.”
Saturday, 9-10:30 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: rock

David Holt and The Lightning Bolts

While many bands talk about their influences, multi-instrumentalist David Holt goes a step further. He’s made a career of seeking out and studying the roots of mountain music, his findings manifesting in his programs such as the PBS show Folkways and NPR’s Riverwalk. Holt also founded Warren Wilson’s Appalachian Music Program, though his band, The Lightning Bolts, is anything but studious. Expect foot-tapping roots music riding the line between old-time and folk rock.
Saturday, 7:15-8:30 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: folk

De Lions of Jah

Antigua native General Dave leads this Jacksonville, Fla.-based reggae band. A regional festival staple for going on two decades, De Lions of Jah have melded their good-time and socially conscious vibes with expert sincerity.
Friday, 5-6:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: reggae

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Mandolin master Doyle Lawson has cranked out more than 40 albums during his four-decade career — a career that includes gigs with Jimmy Martin and JD Crowe and the 25 years running his namesake bluegrass festival in Denton, N.C. Since rededicating his life to Christianity, Lawson has recorded more gospel discs than secular, a decision that seems to sit well with his fans.
Friday, 9:30-11 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: gospel

Greenville, S.C.-based singer/songwriter McCain is known for hits like “I’ll Be” and “I Could Not Ask for More.” He was also know for his long hair — that was, until he shaved his head a year-and-a-half ago. The singer, it turned out, donated his hair to the charity Locks of Love. He recently released an album of soul covers, Nobody’s Fault but Mine, and soon after Bele Chere McCain will embark on tours of Europe and the Pacific Rim.
Friday, 9-10:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: pop

Elliott and The Untouchables

If a picture is worth a thousand words, check out the album art of Elliott and The Untouchables’ Voodoo Stew. A boiling kettle contains a guitar, a harmonica and a saxophone while a disgruntled voodoo doll monitors the flame. Sticking to the theme, songs like “Got What You Want” and “Red Hot, Got Me Burning” serve up spicy, horn-fueled, relentlessly dirty blues. The Columbia, S.C., band bills themselves as “the real deal.”
Friday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: blues

Geoff Achison and The Souldiggers

The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop names guitarist Geoff Achison “one of the finest blues players” in the land Down Under. The self-taught musician — backed by honors such as the Melbourne Blues Society’s award for Best Male Performer — invented his own style while garnering comparisons to Joe Cocker and Warren Haynes. After making his name in Australia and in the U.K., Achison relocated to the U.S. last fall, setting up camp in Atlanta.
Sunday, 12:15-1:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: blues

The Goodies

After a few years of sparse appearances, experimental art rockers The Goodies are back on the Asheville music scene in full force. Their performances are part concert, part theater and part circus — all backed by stellar musicianship and fertile, if deviant, imaginations. Front man Holiday Childress recently portrayed late artist Edward Gorey in a stage show (a role perfectly in step with his stage persona).
Friday, 7-8:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: avant-garde

Gokh-Bi System

This African hip-hop collective may win the prize for longest distance traveled to Bele Chere. Originated in 1995 in Dakar, Senegal (home of the African continent’s largest hip-hop market), Gokh- Bi (pronounced Go-bee) System fuses traditional rhythms with urban beats for a uniquely contemporary result. Now dividing their time between the U.S. and Senegal, band members are dedicated to fundraising efforts for African relief.
Sunday, 2:15-3:45 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: hip-hop

The Grascals

Nashville’s Grammy-nominated bluegrass act The Grascals take a pretty deep view of their musical relationship, insisting it’s friendship that binds them as much as instrumentation. They mention “musical empathy” along with “blistering solos” for what makes them gel — which may account for them taking home the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainers of the Year award in both 2006 and 2007. They also sell the cutest logo tees and hats in their online store.
Sunday, 4-5:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: bluegrass

The Greyhounds

There’s more than one band (not to mention a bus company and a breed of canine racers) sharing the moniker of this Austin, Texas, funk duo. But what this well-traveled, hard-hitting band can accomplish with just two guys swapping instruments and lead-vocal duties should earn them copyrights to the name. It’s already won them an extensive fan base and collaborations with the likes of Ani DiFranco and Galactic’s Robert Mercurio and Stanton Moore.
Saturday, 3:15-4:30; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: funk

Jaci Velasquez

With more than 3.5 million albums sold, several Dove Awards and a Grammy nomination behind her, 28-year-old Jaci Velasquez is a Contemporary Christian and Latin Pop singer to watch. She’ll be singing in both English and Spanish.
Sunday, 4-5:15 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: Christian/Latin pop

Jar-e

Local talent Jar-e boasts jazz, R&B, Bossa Nova and freestyle chops, but his eclectic style culminates in his references to the golden age of soul. Jar-e’s own voice is a well-tuned instrument, able to convey raw emotion, quick wit and rock-starworthy power. His original material is a muscular collection of travel tales and retro sounds; his carefully chosen covers are given a uniquely compelling makeover.
Sunday, 12:15-1:45 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: soul

Jazz the Ripper

When local quintet Jazz the Ripper describes themselves as “nu-jazz,” they really mean it. With the senior member only just old enough to drive, these upstarts know enough to reference the musical greats (Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Earth Wind and Fire) who paved the way. They also mix plenty of funk grooves into their original compositions.
Sunday, 1:45-3:15 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: jazz

Kevin Gordon

This Shreveport, La.-born indie-country artist has a truly eclectic resumé. Besides putting in his time in Nashville and crediting Lou Reed and The Ramones among his influences, he holds a degree from the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has managed to land Lucinda Williams and Kate Campbell as contributors to his albums. Gordon’s latest effort is O Come Look at the Burning.
Saturday, 6:45-8 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: indie

Laura Blackley

According to local blues-rock singer/songwriter Laura Blackley, her specialties include “love and murder ballads, ghost stories and done-somebodywrong songs.” Her steeped-in-Southern-lore repertoire includes titles like “Wampus Cat,” “Daddy’s Gun” and “Eric Rudolph Ain’t Here No More,” all performed in Blackley’s trademark, molasses-thick drawl.
Friday, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: blues

Laura Reed and Deep Pocket

South African-born soul artist Laura Reed seamlessly blends the rhythms and harmonies of her homeland with blues, jazz and R&B traditions of the American South. After extensive travel in South America, she returned to N.C., where a collaboration with other area musicians resulted in the consciousmusic project Deep Pocket. The group recently released their debut album, Soul:Music.
Friday, 5-6 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: soul

The Lee Boys

Sacred steel — that genre found halfway between religious revival and rock concert — is the territory ruled by African-American family group The Lee Boys. The three brothers and their nephews all grew up in church and infuse their hard-driving, bluesbased beats with soulful gospel. Though sacred steel has only been known to the world beyond the church for two decades, the Lee Boys are quickly converting audiences to their moving style.
Sunday, 4:30-6 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: gospel

Lil’ Brian and The Travelers

The official dropping of “Zydeco” from their name has raised some eyebrows: Seems accordion master Lil’ Brian is serious about taking his native Creole music to funkier realms. Worldwide, released last year, is the band’s first album since 2000 — and it’s much hip-hoppier than anything he’s tried before.
Saturday, 5:15-6:45 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: Louisiana funk

Mac Arnold & Plate Full ‘O Blues

Arnold was at the center of the electric blues movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Although he “retired” a few decades ago, at the age of 64, Arnold decided to jump back into performing again, bringing old-school blues back to the stage.
Saturday, 5:15-6:15 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: blues

Ménage

Their latest CD, Tell Me, is favorably reviewed all over the Internet (catch the video for the title track on YouTube). A favorite local act for more than five years, Menage began as a female trio — hence the name — and has since evolved into a four-piece with founders Mary Ellen Bush and Sarah McDonald still taking center stage. Despite the fact that Menage now numbers two guys among them, at least one online fan dubbed the group “my favorite girl band!” That’s charisma for you.
Friday, 6:30-8 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: folk-rock

Mystic Vibrations

Though long based in Columbia, S.C., this born-to-be-festival-favorites reggae act boasts members from Jamaica (imagine that!) and Belize. A reverently reviewed DIY band who also runs its own record label, Mystic Vibrations knows how to deliver the message and run the show.
Saturday, 3:30-4:45 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: reggae

Nikki Talley

Last year, Nikki Talley’s dare-to-begreat voice and in-your-face stage persona won her the Carolina Star tiara — a regional version of American Idol. And although her latest CD, Telling Lies, is about a long cold spell trying to make it in Toronto, this fiery local songstress doesn’t seem long for anonymity.
Friday, 3:30-4:30 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: singer/songwriter

One Leg Up

Many are they who love Django Reinhardt, but few can invoke his atmospheric, genre-defining, Parisian style of gypsy jazz. Asheville’s One Leg Up, however, has been doing it for years; the five-piece includes chanteuse-about-town Cary Fridley, a staple of the local scene. The band’s most recent CD is Pere Lachaise.
Sunday, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: gypsy-jazz

The Original P Funk

Formed long ago from the fragments of Parliament-Funkadelic, The Original P Funk is now down to two founding members — Grady Thomas and Fuzzy Haskins — and has once again renamed itself (from The Original P), adding, perhaps unnecessarily, “Funk.” Last heard locally at Goombay! in the early part of this decade, this is a don’t-miss act for nostalgia buffs of many stripes.
Saturday, 8-11 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: funk

Peggy Ratusz and Daddy Longlegs

√ Theirs is a smooth vibe with a lot of dirty business underneath. Local singer Peggy Ratusz loves to sing about all matters sensual, and her awesomely named backing band sounds glad to be along for the ride.
Friday, 4-5 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: blues

Rachael Sage and The Sequins

At press time, Rachael Sage was making some major waves, including being a “New Folk Finalist” slated to perform on the main stage at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival. However, “new folk” is a bit of a misnomer, as Sage’s sound draws heavily on old-world folk styles, including Irish, Middle Eastern and Calypso. Her new album, Chandelier, will drop just before Bele Chere.
Saturday, Noon-1:15 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: folk

Ryan Montbleau Band

If Tom Waits likes you, how can you go wrong? This Boston band’s front man nabbed second prize in last year’s International Songwriter’s Competition — and besides Waits, judges included no less than Loretta Lynn and The Kinks’ Ray Davies. Though his band is often dumped in the dreaded “jam” category, Montbleau has a way with words that sends him straight to the head of that pack.
Friday, 7-8:15 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: jam

Samantha Lynn Hart

Samantha Lynn Hart calls New Orleans home, but she is less a blueswoman than an old-school honky-tonk diva. Hart numbers Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline among her major heroines (in fact, she recently presented her tune “The Ride,” written for Cline, to Charlie Dick, who was married to the late singer).
Friday, 7-8:15 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: country

Secret Agent 23 Skiddoo

Anyone who’s watched the Old-School Sesame Street DVDs with their little ones lately knows how uninspiring kids’ characters have become since the 1970s. Enter Secret Agent 23 Skiddoo (aka Cactus from mainstay Asheville act GFE), who makes kids’ music cool again with his brand of edgy-but-positive “kidhop,” most recently showcased on the CD Easy.
Sunday, Noon-1:15 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: kid-hop

Snake Oil Medicine Show

As determinedly silly in their on-stage antics as they are deadly serious about All The Important Stuff (you know, like world peace and all), Snake Oil Medicine Show brought the weird to Asheville venues back when novelty acts were still, well, novel. Their psychedelia-tinged bluegrass is complemented by onstage “action painting” and other live artistic ventures.
Saturday, 5-6:15 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: new-vaudeville

Spiritual Rez

Something like Boston’s answer to Asheville’s own The Afromotive, Spiritual Rez is a seven-piece funktet swiftly gaining notoriety on the summer festival circuit. Its seven members definitely know their way around their horns — these guys all attended the renown Berklee College of Music.
Saturday, 12:15-1:30 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: reggae/funk/Afrobeat

Steep Canyon Rangers

This local bluegrass outfit met as students at UNC-Chapel Hill. After being named Emerging Artist of the Year in 2006 by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Steep Canyon Rangers garnered a number-one hit on Bluegrass Unlimited’s national bluegrass survey and played the Grand Ole Opry. With a near nonstop touring schedule, they’ve won over bluegrass fans internationally, as well earning cross-over success on rock and jam-band circuits.
Sunday, 2-3:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: bluegrass

stephaniesid

This popular quartet — headed by charismatic leading lady Stephanie Morgan — has made it their mission to get Asheville recognized for something beyond bluegrass. Their POPAsheville Festival (formerly IdFest), featuring both local and out-oftown acts, has grown every year. And their most recent CD, Grus Americanus, is a lush showcase of the beautiful mood music that puts them on the map.
Saturday, 6:45-8:15 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: indie pop

Strut

The members of Asheville’s Strut have played well together since they were toddlers: These guys grew up together on The Farm, a well-known commune-turned-intentionalcommunity in Tennessee. But their ska-funk act has definitely grown up. Besides putting on consistently memorable performances at major festivals like Bonnaroo, Strut was recently dubbed High Times magazine’s Unsigned Band of the Week.
Saturday, 12:15-1:15 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: funk

Telling on Trixie

Reality TV gave this atmospheric NYC rock duo a star-kissed boost to the big time. Jade Cole from America’s Next Top Model starred in their first video, “Halfway Back to Sane.” And Jack Mackenroth of Project Runway had a big hand in their second video. Oh, and as long as we’re name-dropping, let’s not forget that lead singer Derek Nicoletto’s dad was the drummer for The Turtles!
Saturday, 2:45-3:45 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: rock

Third World

Though they’ve been denounced by some reggae purists as being too commercial, Third World, who entered their 35th year as a band in 2008, deserve definite props for longevity. At press time, the veteran reggae act — still led by “Bunny Rugs” Clarke — was in the studio recording a new album with Stephen and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley.
Friday, 7:30-8:30 p.m.; U.S. Cellular Celebration Stage at Memorial Stadium, opening for The Wailers. Ticketed show ($15/$20).
Genre: reggae

Tori Sparks

Her shimmering good looks and crystalline voice call to mind another Tori, namely Amos. But this Nashville-sprung singer/songwriter is a guitar whiz, not a piano player. Her most recent album — Under This Yellow Sun — has received warm reviews the world over.
Saturday, 2:30-4 p.m.; Haywood St. Stage.
Genre: singer/songwriter

The Trainwreks

Voted Asheville’s #1 alt-country band by the readers of the Mountain Xpress, The Trainwreks dip into the dark side of country/swing, calling on the punk heart of Johnny Cash (to name just one influence). The sixpiece party band recently released their aptly named CD Ready to Die: The Kings of DirtyTonk.
Saturday, 1:45-2:45 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Ave. Stage.
Genre: country rock

Travis Tritt

His name is practically synonymous with chart-topping contempo-country, but dig deeper into his back catalogue and you’ll find a wealth of influences, most notably Ray Charles, with whom he has performed. One of the youngest performers to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry (it happened in 1992, when he was 29), Tritt released two albums last year: a best-of compilation and The Storm.
Saturday, 9-11 p.m., U.S. Cellular Celebration Stage at Memorial Stadium with Steve Azar. Ticketed show ($20/$25).
Genre: country

Steve Azar

Forget the gelled Pete Wentz hairdo and the stylishly disheveled clothing: Steve Azar wants you to know he’s gone back home to his roots. The country-rock songwriter, who got a standing ovation when he opened for Bob Seger at Madison Square Garden, just released Indianola, a reverent tribute to his Mississippi Delta childhood.
Saturday, 7-8:30 p.m. at U.S. Cellular Stage at Memorial Stadium, opening for Travis Tritt. Ticketed show ($20/$25).
Genre: country

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews was leading a band at age 6. So it’s no surprise that this horn hero of New Orleans was touring with Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith when he was still a teenager. Now a ripe old 22, the former prodigy was named Offbeat Magazine’s “Performer of the Year” for 2007.
Saturday, 6-7:30 p.m.; Rock n’ Kiss Stage at Coxe Ave.
Genre: funk

Undone

Undone is known for leading worship in ministry events around the Southeast, and is based out of Asheville’s Biltmore Baptist Church. The group uses their high-energy, passionate music to get their message of faith out to younger listeners.
Sunday, 2:30-3:30 p.m.; Biltmore Ave. Stage.
Genre: Christian/gospel

The Wailers

Formed in 1969 by reggae icons Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, this reggae supergroup (with key personnel changes over the years) went on to perform with the likes of Sting, Stevie Wonder and Carlos Santana. Original bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett still leads this group, which continues to tour and record while maintaining the original ska, rocksteady and roots-reggae vision.
Friday, 9-11 p.m., U.S. Cellular Celebration Stage at Memorial Stadium with Third World. Ticketed show ($15/$20).
Genre: reggae

Webb Wilder and The Beatnecks

Webb Wilder’s shtick is edgy aw-shucks — like Prairie Home Companion with a lot more sin mixed in. The irreverent songwriter/Bmoviemaker/ all-around character brings one of his various bands, The Beatnecks, to Bele Chere. If you like 1950s-style surf rock with a souped-up Nashville twang, it’s time to get Wilder.
Sunday, 2:15-3:45 p.m.; Battery Park Stage.
Genre: country-rock

Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band

This local collective has more soul than James Brown at a tent meeting and enough funk to fuel George Clinton’s Mothership. Reminiscent of Fishbone, the band trades instruments, works the crowd and infuses their infectious beats with plenty of aplomb. The Booty Band is pretty much a party unto themselves, and are a favorite on the regional touring circuit.
Sunday, 4:15-5:45 p.m.; Mountain Xpress Lexington Avenue Stage.
Genre: funk