“Wood & Wire” Headlines March Artist-in-Residence at the Cactus Cafe
AUSTIN, Texas—March 1, 2012— Austin bluegrass ensemble “Wood & Wire” is this month’s Cactus Artist in Residence, presented by Lone Star Beer, at Austin’s legendary listening room, the Cactus Cafe, Mondays in March.
The three-man band will perform March 5, 12, 19 and 26. All shows are free and begin at 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 8 p.m.), with the exception of March 12 (show at 7:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.). Musical acts Shawn Nelson (March 5), “Hem & Haw” (March 12), Christy Hays (March 19), and Geoff Union & Billy Bright (March 26) will open for the band.
One of the most promising new bands on Austin’s bluegrass and acoustic scene, “Wood & Wire” mixes elements of Americana, swing, bluegrass and original music with touches of a cappella ballads, funky acoustic jams and fast instrumentals.
“Wood & Wire” is comprised of Matt Slusher on mandolin, Tony Kamel on guitar and Dom Fisher on bass. According to the trio, when they formed last fall, their chemistry made collaborating easy. The group is known for its focus on three-part harmonies, thought-out arrangements, and hard-driving pickin’.
“Wood & Wire” is the third artist-in-residence at the Cactus Cafe in 2011. Singer-songwriter David Ramirez performed in April while “Hello Wheels” held court in September.
The quarterly residency series is designed to continue the Cactus Cafe’s tradition of providing a platform for promising local talent to reach new audiences. This year, Lone Star Beer’s support helps promote the free concert series.
In addition to a weekly spotlight at the Cactus Cafe, artists-in-residence receive on-air exposure on KUT 90.5, KUT.org, in the form of the KUT Song of the Day and the Austin Music Minute, and through KUT’s social media channels.
The Cactus Cafe is an intimate live music performance venue with a national reputation for showcasing top local, regional, national and international acoustic music acts. Billboard magazine listed the Cactus as one of 15 “solidly respected, savvy clubs” nationwide “from which careers can be cut, that work with proven names and new faces.” Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Lucinda Williams, Shawn Colvin, Nanci Griffith and Ani DiFranco are among the singer-songwriters who frequently played the Cactus Cafe early in their careers. In May 2010, the Cactus Cafe and KUT 90.5 formed a partnership to continue and enhance operation of the iconic venue.
###
Contacts:
Erin Geisler, KUT, (512) 475-8071
Matt Munoz, Cactus Cafe, (512) 232-7606
Tony Kamel, Wood & Wire, (512) 627-4317
