2015 Music

Several musical acts will be playing at VegFest!

Pippa Hoover

Pippa Hoover is a Raleigh-based indie folk singer-songwriter and cellist with a soulful sound and a flair for writing smart, introspective lyrics. With a “rich and haunting voice, ” Pippa sings stories of swimming pools and snowstorms, baby fireflies and black holes. Pippa’s cello work showcases her twelve plus years of classical training with rich bass lines, textural chords, and lyrical solos. Pippa made her live performance debut in February of 2014, and has performed in coffee shops, bars, and restaurants throughout the Triangle.

In April of 2014, Pippa partnered with guitarist Gary Adams. They won second place in the Grassroots Band Competition at the Fall 2014 Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance (Pippa’s second second place win). In 2015, Pippa and Gary added drummer Anthony Floyd to form a trio. They are currently finishing their first album, which will be released in the fall of 2015.

Website for Pippa Hoover.

Petals String Duo

Petals String Duo are Autumn Brand and Kaitlin Grady, classically trained violinist and cellist who first connected in 2011 as bandmates in local folk band Saints Apollo. Over the past 4 years, Autumn and Kaitlin have honed their skills through performing and writing together on a regular basis, and their playing has consequently become natural and seamless. Both are members of local alt-bluegrass band New Reveille and additionally perform live and recorded session work with bands and artists in the area. Petals String Duo play many styles of music ranging from pop to country to classical, combining academic technique with improvisational flair. They are available for weddings, events, and live and recorded session work.

Facebook page for Petals String Duo.

Jay Friedenthal

Jay Friedenthal is practiced in a variety of genres and instruments, having taken stage as a vocalist around the world over 30 years. Jay will be playing solo guitar, reviving many of the pop tunes of our youth retooled for a modern acoustic sound.

Magus and The Plastic Infinity

Based in Raleigh, The Plastic Infinity is an exploration of the possibilities of sound. From the most basic blues, jazz, and rock influences to the most far reaching freeform psychedelic wanderings, they bounce off of the influences of groups like Pink Floyd and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and weave them into their own strange blend of sound-scapes.

There is a definite fusion of the movements and chord structures that make jazz so cool and complicated, with the pop sensibilities that draw you to bands like The Beatles and also, the weirdness that keeps you going back to your Doors and Pink Floyd records. This is music for the connoisseur. It drives your feet and makes you feel the power of heavy hitters like Robin Trower and then turns and gets introspective and sophisticated, like Jethro Tull or Jane’s Addiction. Some of it is very heavy, but not at the expense of insulting your intelligence with teenage lyrics and chunk-a chunk-a metal riffs, until you want to puke.

In the tradition of bands like Steely Dan, the lineup of the band changes from time to time. The main force behind the music is the songwriting of Guitarist/Vocalist Magus (pronounced may-jus). In 2003 Magus put out a solo album under the name Trent Boswell. The album is called Flagship. It is nine original songs in a style that Magus light-heartedly calls “Purple Mind Licorice Music”. It’s melodic, engaging and unique. Call it “art rock” if you like. Think of it as head candy. The Plastic Infinity plays all the material that is on Flagship as well as a lot of edgier, more aggressive, electric material and a host of upbeat, funky, back-beat oriented grooves that people can move to. The music is sometimes spaced-out, trippy and hypnotic, sometimes rock and roll and sometimes funk. The music all has a common thread, but variety is their hallmark.

Website for Magus and The Plastic Infinity.