The Acoustic Guitar Project featuring Tom Rhodes, Caroline Sky, Roem Bauer, Meredith Edgar, and Brett Hunter. (($10 before/$15
SEE EVENT DETAILSTom Rhodes
Before you hear Tom Rhodes’s voice, you feel it - like a left jab to the jaw. Raspy and soulful, like Ray LaMontagne or a young Van Morrison, but with a soaring intensity that recalls Jackson Browne. Your eyes adjust. You regain your bearings. A familiar feeling washes over you: Have I heard this before? Then, a split-second later, comes the power-punch: the words - direct, poetic, timeless, true.
Like a good boxer, Tom Rhodes mastered this one-two technique through years of training. The 36-year-old Oakland, California-based songwriter has spent more than a decade honing his honest, heartfelt brand of Americana, and learning to craft songs whose truth matches his passion as a performer. In that time, he has performed all over the US and Europe, released four albums, and even appeared on season 9 of The Voice in 2015.
Caroline Sky
From the first moment they hear her luminous voice, from the first chords that ring out tunefully from her acoustic guitar, Caroline Sky’s audiences are left with little doubt: They are in the presence of a truly special singer-songwriter, one who combines top-shelf vocal talents, uncommon songwriting insight, and soulful instrumental delivery. What’s less clear is how such a rare combination of gifts could possibly have arrived onstage in the form of a 16 year-old girl.
Caroline’s talents as a vocal artist were honed at an early age, when she was accepted into the prestigious San Francisco Girls Chorus as a mere 9 year-old – becoming one of the youngest members ever to be elevated to that company’s top level. This world-class training gave her opportunities to develop a strong vocal vocabulary, to perform regularly at the city’s legendary Davies Symphony Hall, to tour extensively, even to be selected for appearances with the San Francisco Opera.
After 3+ years with the Chorus, Caroline found herself drawn to more contemporary and narrative music forms: acoustic folk, blues, and pop. She picked up guitar and piano, and quickly advanced to writing and performing original material, soon appearing in some of the Bay Area’s most prominent music venues and festivals. The regional and national music establishment was quick to take notice: Caroline has since been called to share the stage with such legendary artists as Tedeschi Trucks Band (opening for them at the 2015 Mount Tam Sound Summit), Joan Baez (in duet), Carly Simon, Ben Taylor, Arnold McCuller (duet with this featured vocalist from the James Taylor Band), Vicki Randle (The Tonight Show, in a featured duet), Jose Neto (lead guitar, Steve Winwood band, direct accompanist over multiple performance dates), Narada Michael Walden (producer, Whitney Houston, multiple performances), members of the Carlos Santana band, Rob Hotchkiss (of Train), and Jeff Watson (Night Ranger). She has studied songwriting at New York University'ssummer music program, and has received mentorship on songwriting from such greats as Bob Weir (Grateful Dead) and Bonnie Hayes (Bonnie Raitt, Berklee College of Music).
Caroline has always believed that music has the power to bridge differences, to bring people together to achieve a higher purpose. Putting that belief into action, she often lends her talents to benefit concerts and musical philanthropies. Among her favorite musical beneficiaries have been Camp Jabberwocky, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Bread and Roses, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Cedars of Marin, and Island Elderly Housing.
Between the ages of 13 and 15, Caroline composed all of the songs on her self-titled first EP, then turning to SF-based singer/songwriter Jeff Campbell to produce and release the record in 2015 -- to rave reviews. Critics praised the songs for their “achingly beautiful” moments, their “stick-in-your-ear hooks,” and their “mature, worldly lyrics” that belie her youth and represent a “reflection of rare talent.” These songs, sometimes compared to the works of Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Grace Potter, and Sara Bareilles, have been winning over audiences across the country. Radio station KFOG, the leading AAA station in the SF market, recently selected Caroline’s single, “Awake Now” to appear on its “Local Scene” CD of top regional tracks, while the Marin Independent Journal tapped "Caroline Sky" as one of the 10 Best Marin albums of 2015. In Massachusetts, legendary indie music station WMVY handed Caroline similar honors, tapping her for on-air interviews and a two headliner gigs in the station's renowned “Porch Series” concerts.
Caroline is currently a contestant on Season 12 of NBC's top-rated music reality show, "The Voice."
Roem Baur
Roem Baur is a multiple award-winning touring songwriter and San Francisco resident. He has been featured on the main stage at Super Bowl 50, NBC's The Voice, and at CES & SXSW conferences. A classically trained opera singer, he answered the call of rock n' roll shortly after college and began touring living rooms, cafes, and rock clubs with "a voice that seems to burn with fire" (Examiner) before forming his band and releasing his first studio EP with GRAMMY nominated producer, Damien Lewis (Rihanna, Capital Cities, Kimbra).
After winning Bob Weir's (The Grateful Dead) national "Road to TRI" contest, Baur and his band were invited to record a live EP in Weir's personal studio, the product of which can be found on Roem's YouTube page and has since propelled him to a whole new era of rock fans. In June of 2016 he released his most personal work, "Night Phases," that has been praised by music bloggers and critics as one of the best releases of the Summer.
Catch Roem Baur performing on the west coast 150+ dates a year: http://roem.tv/live
Meredith Edgar
Meredith Edgar is a San Francisco native, recently returned from a five-year sojourn in Austin, Texas. Her major musical influences are Ryan Adams, Biillie Holiday, Morphine, Gillian Welch, Amy Winehouse, and Jolie Holland, Meredith writes songs about bittersweet love, drowning, mistakes, the ocean, and the dark underbelly of relationships.
Brett Hunter
Brett Hunter has been writing soulful tunes for the better part of a decade, and his latest project - The Brett Hunter Band - hit the road for their first tour in January. The band, featuring Tim Marconett on guitar, Daniel Erik on bass and Patrick Shields on percussion, blends Brett's distinct songwriting with an eclectic groove that captivates audiences and gets everyone dancing.
In many ways, the band's sound transcends genre. Steeped in soul and anchored in a truly authentic form of songwriting that's often lost in music today, there's something for everyone in BHB's set. Brett Hunter has a gift for writing songs that bring people together and resonate deeply with audiences. This strong lyrical foundation, coupled with the elements of R&B/ Gospel/ Jazz/ Soul/ Folk/ Blues his band weaves throughout their music, creates a musical experience that heals the soul.
Steve Meckfessel and special guests
Brief opening set by Steve Meckfessel and special guests.
The Acoustic Guitar Project
The Acoustic Guitar Project is a worldwide event that takes place in 49 cities on six continents. We have a guitar in each city and challenge five artists to take the guitar and write and record a new song in just one week. When the songs are complete we hold a concert in each city featuring the original songs plus other originals by the artists. These are the current San Francisco artists.
Tom Rhodes
Before you hear Tom Rhodes’s voice, you feel it - like a left jab to the jaw. Raspy and soulful, like Ray LaMontagne or a young Van Morrison, but with a soaring intensity that recalls Jackson Browne. Your eyes adjust. You regain your bearings. A familiar feeling washes over you: Have I heard this before? Then, a split-second later, comes the power-punch: the words - direct, poetic, timeless, true.
Like a good boxer, Tom Rhodes mastered this one-two technique through years of training. The 36-year-old Oakland, California-based songwriter has spent more than a decade honing his honest, heartfelt brand of Americana, and learning to craft songs whose truth matches his passion as a performer. In that time, he has performed all over the US and Europe, released four albums, and even appeared on season 9 of The Voice in 2015.
Caroline Sky
From the first moment they hear her luminous voice, from the first chords that ring out tunefully from her acoustic guitar, Caroline Sky’s audiences are left with little doubt: They are in the presence of a truly special singer-songwriter, one who combines top-shelf vocal talents, uncommon songwriting insight, and soulful instrumental delivery. What’s less clear is how such a rare combination of gifts could possibly have arrived onstage in the form of a 16 year-old girl.
Caroline’s talents as a vocal artist were honed at an early age, when she was accepted into the prestigious San Francisco Girls Chorus as a mere 9 year-old – becoming one of the youngest members ever to be elevated to that company’s top level. This world-class training gave her opportunities to develop a strong vocal vocabulary, to perform regularly at the city’s legendary Davies Symphony Hall, to tour extensively, even to be selected for appearances with the San Francisco Opera.
After 3+ years with the Chorus, Caroline found herself drawn to more contemporary and narrative music forms: acoustic folk, blues, and pop. She picked up guitar and piano, and quickly advanced to writing and performing original material, soon appearing in some of the Bay Area’s most prominent music venues and festivals. The regional and national music establishment was quick to take notice: Caroline has since been called to share the stage with such legendary artists as Tedeschi Trucks Band (opening for them at the 2015 Mount Tam Sound Summit), Joan Baez (in duet), Carly Simon, Ben Taylor, Arnold McCuller (duet with this featured vocalist from the James Taylor Band), Vicki Randle (The Tonight Show, in a featured duet), Jose Neto (lead guitar, Steve Winwood band, direct accompanist over multiple performance dates), Narada Michael Walden (producer, Whitney Houston, multiple performances), members of the Carlos Santana band, Rob Hotchkiss (of Train), and Jeff Watson (Night Ranger). She has studied songwriting at New York University'ssummer music program, and has received mentorship on songwriting from such greats as Bob Weir (Grateful Dead) and Bonnie Hayes (Bonnie Raitt, Berklee College of Music).
Caroline has always believed that music has the power to bridge differences, to bring people together to achieve a higher purpose. Putting that belief into action, she often lends her talents to benefit concerts and musical philanthropies. Among her favorite musical beneficiaries have been Camp Jabberwocky, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Bread and Roses, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Cedars of Marin, and Island Elderly Housing.
Between the ages of 13 and 15, Caroline composed all of the songs on her self-titled first EP, then turning to SF-based singer/songwriter Jeff Campbell to produce and release the record in 2015 -- to rave reviews. Critics praised the songs for their “achingly beautiful” moments, their “stick-in-your-ear hooks,” and their “mature, worldly lyrics” that belie her youth and represent a “reflection of rare talent.” These songs, sometimes compared to the works of Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Grace Potter, and Sara Bareilles, have been winning over audiences across the country. Radio station KFOG, the leading AAA station in the SF market, recently selected Caroline’s single, “Awake Now” to appear on its “Local Scene” CD of top regional tracks, while the Marin Independent Journal tapped "Caroline Sky" as one of the 10 Best Marin albums of 2015. In Massachusetts, legendary indie music station WMVY handed Caroline similar honors, tapping her for on-air interviews and a two headliner gigs in the station's renowned “Porch Series” concerts.
Caroline is currently a contestant on Season 12 of NBC's top-rated music reality show, "The Voice."
Roem Baur
Roem Baur is a multiple award-winning touring songwriter and San Francisco resident. He has been featured on the main stage at Super Bowl 50, NBC's The Voice, and at CES & SXSW conferences. A classically trained opera singer, he answered the call of rock n' roll shortly after college and began touring living rooms, cafes, and rock clubs with "a voice that seems to burn with fire" (Examiner) before forming his band and releasing his first studio EP with GRAMMY nominated producer, Damien Lewis (Rihanna, Capital Cities, Kimbra).
After winning Bob Weir's (The Grateful Dead) national "Road to TRI" contest, Baur and his band were invited to record a live EP in Weir's personal studio, the product of which can be found on Roem's YouTube page and has since propelled him to a whole new era of rock fans. In June of 2016 he released his most personal work, "Night Phases," that has been praised by music bloggers and critics as one of the best releases of the Summer.
Catch Roem Baur performing on the west coast 150+ dates a year: http://roem.tv/live
Meredith Edgar
Meredith Edgar is a San Francisco native, recently returned from a five-year sojourn in Austin, Texas. Her major musical influences are Ryan Adams, Biillie Holiday, Morphine, Gillian Welch, Amy Winehouse, and Jolie Holland, Meredith writes songs about bittersweet love, drowning, mistakes, the ocean, and the dark underbelly of relationships.
Brett Hunter
Brett Hunter has been writing soulful tunes for the better part of a decade, and his latest project - The Brett Hunter Band - hit the road for their first tour in January. The band, featuring Tim Marconett on guitar, Daniel Erik on bass and Patrick Shields on percussion, blends Brett's distinct songwriting with an eclectic groove that captivates audiences and gets everyone dancing.
In many ways, the band's sound transcends genre. Steeped in soul and anchored in a truly authentic form of songwriting that's often lost in music today, there's something for everyone in BHB's set. Brett Hunter has a gift for writing songs that bring people together and resonate deeply with audiences. This strong lyrical foundation, coupled with the elements of R&B/ Gospel/ Jazz/ Soul/ Folk/ Blues his band weaves throughout their music, creates a musical experience that heals the soul.
Steve Meckfessel and special guests
Brief opening set by Steve Meckfessel and special guests.
The Acoustic Guitar Project
The Acoustic Guitar Project is a worldwide event that takes place in 49 cities on six continents. We have a guitar in each city and challenge five artists to take the guitar and write and record a new song in just one week. When the songs are complete we hold a concert in each city featuring the original songs plus other originals by the artists. These are the current San Francisco artists.
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