The Happy Players
The Happy Players kick out polka beats in a lively upbeat style, intertwining dancing music, drinking music, and smiling music into one hell of a great party.
Jon Lawton
Singer songwriter Jon Lawton from Oakland, ca.. entertains crowds of all ages showcasing his original music following the stylings of traditional country, blues, and folk music. He has recorded 8 self-produced CDs, performs with 6 and12 string steels, National steel, and banjo. Jon has been performing for over 30 years.
Matthew Carlson
After nearly 30 years of playing shows, making records and writing songs, it’s fair to call Matthew Carlson a veteran. From his current work in the Stick Arounds and Harborcoat, to his previous stints in The Pantones and Third Uncle, Carlson has spent a lifetime writing songs filled with vivid characters, detailed worlds, and personal touches.
Carlson is a born storyteller in person, and in his songs. His solo acoustic shows are comprised of emotional, funny, and moving stories about the songs and his own life that support his songs and the hidden lives and places behind them. To see Matty C (as his friends call him) play solo is to see, feel, and hear these songs in a new, and perhaps more profound way.
Harmony, bombast, and distortion are removed from even the most boisterous of numbers, and a bare, more vulnerable version of the songs appear. The tunes take on new life as they are stripped to only the most essential of ingredients.
John Byrne
John Byrne is a Dublin native and Philadelphia-based musician who performs as a solo act and with The John Byrne Band. Their debut album, After the Wake, was released to critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic in 2011. With influences ranging from Tom Waits to Planxty, John’s songwriting honors and expands upon the musical and lyrical traditions of his native and adopted homes.
Jessica Smucker
Jessica Smucker is the kind of writer and performer who can lull a noisy room into a hush with a single line. Wrapped in catchy melodies, her lyrics appear simple and relatable on the surface, but each listen will uncover more hidden pockets of nuance. Based in Lancaster, PA, Jessica has toured nationwide and performs regularly throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. She has released two EPs and three full-length albums, with a fourth album planned for release in 2024.