Rozatones & The Dirty Guv'nahs January 20, 2011

New York City based The Rozatones are a six piece soulful acid rock group known for up-tempo rhythms, spicy melodies and an incomparable energy that makes for a passionate and unforgettable live show. Formed in Ithaca, NY in 2006, the group became an instant college favorite landing a performance at Ithaca's State Theatre opening for Soulive. 2007's Taste So Good was voted "Best funk rock album of the year" by the Ithaca Times, and 2009's Body On The Move has been the breakout album the band needed. They've appeared twice on Good Morning America (2008) and won the MAGIC HAT BREWERY On Tour Contest in the winter of 2010, earning them a sponsored tour with the popular brewing company.

A whirlwind of funk, rock, and soul, bolstered by jazz progressions and sumptuous vocals, The Rozatones, are not afraid to break some rules. Their savory sound is dance-oriented and their provocative lyrics tie up the whole package.

At centerstage is Revi Roza, a guitar-slinging chanteuse who sings straight from the heart over her guitar's slinky funk lines. Her songs have it all: organic and sophisticated, deeply personal and relatable. Onstage, her starpower commands your attention, but the five cats behind her are stiff competition. The band consists of Miles Crettien (bass) Sam Podell (sax), Mikey Conerty (trumpet), Dave Cohen(keys), and Jacob Schaub(drums). The 'Tones have a natural energy that buoys the skin-tight musical arrangements into a thrilling live experience. They don't cut corners, they don't phone it in, and they deliver musical chops that leave you feeling good, not just impressed.

Special co-bill show

Fresh out of recording a new CD with a Grammy winning team at the legendary Levon Helm Studios (Woodstock, NY) in December 2009, The Dirty Guv'nahs are poised for a huge year. They have been spreading their rock gospel across the Southeast for three years now, showcasing their sound at festivals like Bonnaroo 2009, Bele Chere 2009, Sundown in the City 2008, and Music on the Mountaintop 2009. Their sound has been best described as "a passionate, jubilant slice of rock-meets-Americana." In their hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee they've graduated from playing packed out bars where latecomers are turned away from the door, to playing theaters where capacity crowds consistently cram in and press against the stage to hear another three hour helping of what Metro Pulse dubbed, "rock the way God intended."

Nobody enjoys himself more on stage than front man James Trimble, who draws comparisons to Jagger, Morrison, and Cocker, but the show doesn’t revolve around him. Guv'nahs' shows are a family affair, with six members and an ensemble of guests pitching in to weave an aural tapestry of all things Southern musi--rock, blues, country, and soul.

The Guv'nahs are interested in creating big songs and big performances. Their voices and their passion on stage are looking to strike a deeper chord, and their rhythms and their words are filled with hope. While they refuse to ignore pain and brokenness inherent to life, their songs gather up all the good that they witness in streets, festivals, bars, churches, parks, and theaters and proclaim what is true--we have plenty to celebrate. We have one another.

Voted Knoxville, Tennessee's Best Band two years in a row by the Metro Pulse Readers Poll, The Dirty Guv'nahs are paving the way for a new chapter of American Rock and Roll. Trimble and Michael Jenkins (guitarist) have continued to mature as songwriters, but die hard fans will recognize those signature sing-along choruses. Their message to lovers of rock and roll remains the same: This is not about us, and we all need family to get by.