Roosevelt Dime to Play at the Garage in Colonial Theatre, 6/6

American roots band, Roosevelt Dime, performs on Friday, June 6 at 8pm at the Garage in the Colonial Theatre.

Tickets to Roosevelt Dime are on sale now for $12 in advance and $15 day of show. Contact the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield by calling 413-997-4444. Tickets can also be bought online at www.berkshiretheatregroup.org. The Ticket Office is open Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm or on any performance day from 10am until curtain.

To listen to Roosevelt Dime is to take a journey through the whole of American roots music. Inspired in equal parts by Appalachian string bands, Memphis and New Orleans soul, West coast alt-country, and the musical melting pot of their hometown of Brooklyn, the band has forged a sound they've come to call "Steamboat Soul." After years of thrilling audiences at festivals and venues across the country, the band has fully captured the energy and musicianship of their live performance on Full Head of Steam (2014).

Andrew Green (banjo, guitar) and Eben Pariser (guitar, bass, harmonica) honed their chops in the bar rooms of Northeast Ohio while attending Oberlin College, and continued their musical collaboration and co-writing after settling in Brooklyn. Tony Montalbano added his dynamic drumming to the mix to form the core of the group, and their debut album Crooked Roots was released shortly after. While continuing to explore a wide range of influences, they spent their early days busking in the streets and subways with NYC's top horn players. It was there they learned what it took to stop a stranger in their tracks, turn them from a commuter into a listener, and from a listener into a sidewalk lindy-hopper. Those lineups yielded Steamboat Soul (2011) and Live at the Filter Bubble (2012). With the recent addition of Craig Akin, one of the premier upright and electric bassists in the Northeast, the band continues to refine its sound while keeping their expert songwriting, stirring vocal harmonies, and electric live show at center stage.

The songs on Full Head of Steam, which were recorded live and direct to analog tape, provide the setting for incredible performances by the band and special guest collaborators (Chris Eldridge, guitarist of the Punch Brothers; Red Molly, vocals; Bruce Harris and Sam Hoyt, trumpets; David Farrell, piano). It's the songwriting that shines and sets Roosevelt Dime apart in the modern folk scene though. With Green and Pariser penning the tunes and sharing lead vocal duties, they can conjure The Band and Dr. Dog on "Calvary" as seamlessly as Professor Longhair and Jackie Wilson on "I Want Mo!" not to mention bringing new life to the traditional songbook with a wailing version of "St. James Infirmary" and their clave-propelled "Cocaine Habit Blues."

Roosevelt Dime has performed at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Caramoor American Roots Music Festival, and was selected as an Emerging Artist showcase winner at the 2013 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. They were also chosen as official Showcase Artists at the International Folk Alliance conference in 2011 and 2013. Full Head of Steam has been featured in Relix, Performer Magazine, The Bluegrass Situation, CMT Edge, and the Alternate Root.

Roosevelt Dime includes: Andrew Green on banjo, guitar, and lead vocals; Eben Pariser on guitar, harmonica, and lead vocals; Tony Montalbano on drums and backup vox; and Craig Akin on upright and electric bass.

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