Operation Every Band

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DelFest 2019 Starts Today - Last Set of Recommendations

Front Country – “If Something Breaks”

DelFest - OEB Score: 6

Pairs Well With… Dixie Chicks, Fleetwood Mac

San Francisco natives Front Country describes their music as the intersection of indie-folk and Americana but their music has also been called “string-band pop.” Whatever it is, it’s definitely not your grandpa’s bluegrass or folk band. Front Country includes the powerful vocals of singer-songwriter and guitarist Melody Walker, mandolinist Adam Roszkiewicz, guitarist Jacob Groopman, bassist Jeremy Darrow and violinist Leif Karlstrom.  Walker complains that their home state doesn’t get its due as an incubator of country, bluegrass and roots music, noting that Merle Haggard and Buck Owens were Californians.  Their second record, Other Love Songs, was released in 2017 is a collection of, not surprisingly mostly serious love songs, with standouts including “If Something Breaks” and “I Don’t Wanna Die Angry.”  But the band’s whimsical side is most apparent on their cover songs, which are creative reimagining of pop and rock tunes.  Some are more successful than others, but it would be fun to hear them play their version of Kenny Rodgers’ “Just Dropped In” or Tom Petty’s “Don’t Do Me Like That.”  And if you get a chance, ask Melody what’s up with the cool Viking helmet in the video.

Ricky Skaggs & the Kentucky Thunder – “Ralph Stanley Tribute”

DelFest - OEB Score: 9

Pairs Well With…Ralph Stanley, Randy Travis, Sam Bush

While OEB loves festivals for discovering new artists, there is also the pleasure in the opportunity to see a music legend that you might not otherwise have sought out.  Well, DelFest is obliging.  Country and bluegrass royalty, Ricky Skaggs and his Kentucky Thunder will be playing on Sunday evening, just before Del McCoury’s last performance.  Skaggs’ journey began at a young age.  Raised on bluegrass, he played with Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys.  But Skaggs is better known for his many mainstream country hits “Highway 40 Blues,” “I Wouldn’t Change You if I Could,” “Love Can’t Get Better Than This,” and “Country Boy,” among others.  But later in his career, Skaggs has turned back to bluegrass with both renditions of classics and some fun with some odd collaborations such as a bluegrass cover of Rick James’ “Super Freak” with Bruce Hornsby.  Because it’s a bluegrass festival after all, we’ve provided a long set of his Ralph Stanley covers but we’re hoping he’ll mix up his set with songs from across his long and storied career.

Po’ Ramblin’ Boys – “Next Train South”

DelFest - OEB Score: 7

Pairs Well With… Bill Monroe, Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs

The two apostrophes in their name are a pretty good clue that that the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys play a hard-edged, hard-driving style of traditional bluegrass delivered the old-time way.  Their outfits, song choices, and picking, fiddling, and strumming styles make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. This East Tennessee band includes C.J. Lewandowski on mandolin, Jereme Brown on banjo, Josh Rinkel on guitar, and Jasper Lorentzen on bass with three members sharing vocal duties. With a heavy touring schedule across the United States and Europe and a new contract with Rounder Records, the Po Ramblin’ Boys are clearly well on their way to carrying the torch for bluegrass.   “Next Train South” is a good example of their style but pick any song really will give you a sense of the pocket they play in. Their first album, Their Back to the Mountains provides an equal dose of honky-tonk and high lonesome but its their energy and enthusiasm for the genre that makes them worth seeing.

Darin & Brooke Aldridge – “Every Time You Leave”

DelFest 2019 - OEB Score: 6

Pairs Well With… Kate Wolf, Bobby Lord/Patsy Cline duets, The Country Gentlemen

Pretty, plaintive harmonies capture what husband and wife duo Darin & Brooke Aldridge do. Their 2017 album, Faster & Farther, matches their strong clear voices with a strong picking band.  They grew up in North Carolina towns infused with country, gospel,  and bluegrass musical roots.  They met through family and friends in church and a musical friendship grew into something more.  While their music range and subject matter has broadened from its gospel roots, they stay true to their commitment to offering songs of hope, aspiration, and love. We featured “Every Time You Leave,” a sad country ballad that harkens back to the classic male/female country tunes of old.  “Sacred Lamb” from Faster and Faster captures their gospel  spirit whereas “Cumberland Plateau” features bluegrass picking over country-infused vocals.

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DelFest 2019 OEB Recommendations - Part 3

The Kruger Brothers – “Outstanding”

DelFest 2019 - OEB Score: 7

Pairs Well With… Doc Watson, Flatt & Scruggs

Jens and Uwe Kruger blend bluegrass music with their European classical music education.  Aas boys, the brothers were exposed to a wide range of music but they were inspired by the bluegrass greats. Teamed up with bass player Joel Landsberg, they are based in Wilkesboro, N.C.   Their concerts range from back-porch picking to elaborate collaborations symphonies orchestras.  Above all, they are consummate musicians the discipline and complexity of classical music to their original work.   But while discerning, there is nothing pretentious about their approach.  They are truly fans who became masters. 

Railroad Earth – “Storms”

DelFest 2019 - OEB Score: 6

Pairs Well With… Grateful Dead, Yonder Mountain String Band

Railroad Earth is still recovering from the untimely death of their cofounder, Andy Goessling, in 2018. However, the now quintet, continues to come tour and has been experimenting with different guest musicians at their live shows, adding some new takes on their substantial catalog.  And though they’ve reportedly recorded new music, it has not been released yet so they are still playing a lot of their Captain Nowhere album. Hopefully, will we’ll heart the poignant “Storms,” this reviewer’s favorite off that record. Railroad Earth has always been hard to categorize because of their wide range and there steadfast resistance to labels. Souped-up string band is as a good a label as any but expect a lot of improvisation wrapped around strong songwriting, and singing along from their dedicated “Hobo” fan base.

The SteelDrivers – “Long Way Down”

DelFest 2019 - OEB Score: 6

Pairs Well With…Chris Stapleton, Old Crow Medicine Show, Town Mountain

The SteelDrivers have been described as “power-bluegrass” or “country soul.” Their sounds fluctuates between Muscle Shoals swampy blues and a more traditional high and lonesome sound.  For starters, listen to “River Runs Red,” a beautiful and somber Civil War story and then transition to “Long Way Down” for their bluegrassy country blues side.  Despite a changing lineup over the last ten years, the SteelDrivers continue to play gutsy and gritty music that has drawn a dedicated fan base.  Be prepared to meet some of these self-proclaimed “SteelHeads,” who reportedly travel hundreds of miles to see them.

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More Delfest OEB Recommendations

Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra – “Firmament”

DelFest - OEB Score: 7

Pairs Well With… John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Ray LaMontagne

Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra hail from Santa Cruz and bring a dose of California psychedelic to their 2018 release, Stereoscope.  O’Reilly plays electric and resonator guitars with his band punctuating these songs with fiddle, sweepingly synth chords, and standup bass.  Some of the songs are fully developed orchestral pieces such as “Firmament,” which features outstanding percussion, psychedelic riffs, and moody, introspective vocals which bring to mind Glen Hansard and Ray LaMontagne.  The band does do some traditional numbers but their newest work is complex and to some extent, experimental so this is a band you really have to sit and pay attention when they are playing.   They have a late Sunday afternoon set so hopefully folks will be in the mood to settle down and listen.

Serene Green – “Dusty Pictures”

DelFest - OEB Score: 7

Pairs Well With… The Del McCoury Band, Otis Gibbs, Yonder String Band

Serene Green does a number of things quite well.  They are young but already excellent bluegrass musicians who can take traditional bluegrass numbers and give them an upbeat twist. Their first full length album, “To Whom It Pertains,” features ten original songs written by the band. There are some classic bluegrass themes – whisky, brushes with the law, and a cheating woman but the lyrics and vocals feel fresh and authentic.  Favorites include “Dusty Pictures” which evoked the storytelling power of an Otis Gibbs and “Don’t Let Me Fall” with elements of gospel.  Serene Green can also be clever and quick which provides some variety.  Serene Green spent their first DelFest not on the bill but making the rounds of campfires.  This year their gumption and talent have earned them a place on the bill.

Lindsey Lou – “Roll with Me”

DelFest 2019 - OEB Score: 8

Pairs Well With… Cat Clyde, Sierra Hull, Alison Krauss

Lindsay Lou shifts from ethereal to smooth to silky to really belting it out depending on the song.   Her vocal and musical talents are on fine display on her fourth album, Southland, which dropped in April 2018, her first without the added & the Flatbellys” although some of her bandmates remain (including her husband, Josh Rilko)  The album branches out from her prior bluegrass inspired folk to include pensive folk, twangy country, piano bar jazz, old-school R&B, swampy  soul.  Although the band says the album was born from some tough times, the songs have some peppy earworms.  “Roll with Me” is a standout -- a jazzy soul country tune that remains listenable and fun on repeated listens. Lou explains that she was born to Missouri coal miner but the family moved to Michigan when she was very young.  She has always been surrounded by music and activism.  She recently relocated to Nashville, returning to the Southern roots of her music.  In the words of famed bluegrass musician David Grier, “Lindsay...sings the way you would want to if'n you could. Effortless seemingly. Simply mesmerizing. Riveting! Don't miss the musical force that is Lindsay Lou.” From our review, we agree.

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12th Annual DelFest Preview

For this Memorial Day Weekend, a contingent of OEB heads off the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, MD (2.5 hrs from Baltimore and DC) for Del McCoury’s DelFest. DelFest promises in addition to traditional stage sets, one-of-a-kind collaborations, special guest sit-ins, various tributes to Del McCoury and his musical legacy, intimate appearances, both at unique informal workshops late night indoor performances. The lineup is stellar.  In keeping with OEB’s focus on musical discovery, we’ve featured both established acts and some of the lesser known and up and coming artists in our reviews.  

Billy Strings - “Live at the Rex Theater”

DelFest 2019 - OEB Score: 9

Pairs Well With…Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident

We saw Billy Strings perform at SXSW this year as part of packed lineup and he was still the group’s favorite act of the night. Ripping up live stages the past few years, Billy Strings has been taking the reins of jam-centric bluegrass circles with expert instrumentation from the acoustic picker and his crack band. They’re able to turn a traditional, percussion-less setting and boil with danceable energy while still holding true to form. While bluegrass is well known for stellar solos and improvisation, Billy Strings live set impressively veered off at times into what one of us called “acid jazz bluegrass.”  Billy is playing both an afternoon set and a late night set which should be epic. We’ve linked a long live set for review because his recorded music doesn’t quite capture the intensity of the show.

Trampled by Turtles – “The Middle”

DelFest 2019 – OEB Score 8

Pairs Well With . . . The Lumineers, Avett Brothers, String Cheese Incident

Trampled by Turtles, a boundary-pushing bluegrass group that craft catchy pop songs beaming with energy, recently released their 7th album (and first in four year), Life Is Good on the Open Road. The record balances both delicate ballads and loose, upbeat romps.  The gem for OEB is the folksy song “The Middle,” starts with fiddle and rhythm guitar before the full band joins in and builds to a ready for festival anthem that sounds like a bluegrass version of The Lumineers or the Avett Brothers.  Additional songs off the new record veer more traditionally bluegrass but the song writing is strong, for example, on  “Annihilate” and “We All Get Lonely.”

The Marcus King Band – “Goodbye Carolina”

DelFest 2019 – OEB Score: 7

Pairs Well With  . . . The Black Keys, The Band, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

Southern rock and soul artists, the Marcus King Band released their new album, Carolina Confessions, back in October. The album, produced by Grammy award-winner Davie Cobb was described Rolling Stone as an “arresting Southern Gothic mosaic of songs.”  We agree. For eclectic music lovers like OEB, one danger of a genre focused festival, is well … ah boredom.  Marcus King will be an antidote at DelFest.  The lead song, “Confessions” features spacious piano and organ and raw vocals.  In contrast, “Where I’m Headed” starts with lush acoustic rhythm guitar but features a signature horn section and expert slide guitar work.  Other songs, such as “Homesick, reflect King’s bread and butter,  Southern-fried soul. But we chose the more the soulful “Goodbye Carolina” as the featured track which starts off restrained and then launches into pure nostalgia with plaintive lyrics and killer guitar licks.

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Japanese Breakfast - “Boyish”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Snail Mail, The Dirty Projectors, Mitski

Indie pop experimenter Japanese Breakfast produced one of the dreamiest records of 2017, a grooving album of R&B melodies, synth-pop waves, and indie rock density that maintains a rich, emotional core beginning to end. Soft Sounds From Another Planet is an aptly titled piece, a cinematic collection that stretches with psychedelic intentions and orchestral expanse. Japanese Breakfast is topping most SXSW bills she’s joining ultimately due to her detailed and driven songwriting. While “soft” in its overall vibe, there is a much to pay attention to within her music, whether in it is investing in unexpected shifts of rhythm or tracking a guitar line through an expertly crafted sonic maze of invention. Japanese Breakfast easily moves between alt rock (“Diving Woman”), new wave pop (“Machinist”), and Americana roots (“Boyish”) across Soft Sounds From Another Planet, offering a range that should make for a highlight SXSW set and hopefully some new material is included to hint at what’s next for this crucial artist. Japanese Breakfast closes three official SXSW showcases concluding on Friday night at Lustre Pearl following Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Melanie Faye, and Vacationer.

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Isa Reyes - “Sweet Tooth”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Lion Babe, Marian Hill, Kari Faux

Isa Reyes’ form of electronic R&B eschews sultry space tones for a breezier, hip-hop-infused sounds, comfortably placed with classic and future horizons in mind. Backed by thick, midnight baselines intermingled with lightened synth melodies, Isa Reyes’ music embodies balance, instantly comfortable and vibing at its core. In addition to a slew of Soundcloud fragments, originals and covers, Reyes catalog revolves around 2018 debut The Birthday EP, a cool collection of jazzy, psychedelic R&B statements. More internal than club fare, Isa Reyes is distinctly experimental, absorbing ambient pop (“Sunday”), hazy jazz (“Horchata”), and hooker material like clear standout “Sweet Tooth”. Reyes’ intentions of winked indie pop and throwback soul grooves infectiously captures her loose, swaying spirit with natural ease. The NYC-based artist joins recommended artists Ivy Sole and Kwame at Pour Choices Wednesday night for her official SXSW showcase.

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The Joy Formidable - “The Better Me”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Paramore, Sleigh Bells, Warpaint

The Joy Formidable’s 2018 record Aaarth slipped a bit under the radar given its been a few years since their buzzing records The Big Roar and Wolf’s Law, but it is quietly their strongest effort yet, embracing the alt rock edge that has distinguished their sound from note one. Emboldening the trio's guitar/bass/drums roots are synth-rock soundscapes that thicken and intensity the Welsh band’s core, exploring instead of relying solely on infectious rock hooks. The result is a sound concurrently heavy and accessible, shiny and grimy in musical concert. Aaarth’s songs bleed naturally into one another, yielding a complete sound that questions singles formulas and recalls great full-lengths from a classic era. In addition to few daytime sets, The Joy Formidable showcase Thursday night at Scoot Inn following OEB recommendations Laura Jane Grace and The Beths.

2013 Review: The Joy Formidable have built quite a strong fanbase off their 2011 debut, so expect a packed SXSW set as the band unleashes new material from their 2013 follow-up Wolf’s Law.  The band employs a 90s alternative rock drive but maintains that updated indie pop side - think Garbage meets Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

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Hayes Carll - “Times Like These”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 9; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Jason Isbell, Dylan LeBlanc, Ryan Bingham

Hayes Carll is quietly writing some of the best songs in the Americana landscape over the past decade, leaning into an alt country atmosphere with clever, personable songwriting and delivering stories as grand as they are relatable. 2019 record What It Is, Carll’s sixth full-length since debuting fifteen-years-plus back, is as strong as anything that has come before, performing with a knowing wink that connects traditions past and present. Hayes Carll has two official SXSW gigs lined up starting with a set at Scoot Inn with Brooklyn Bowl in between Illiterate Light, Billy Strings, Strand of Oaks, and White Denim.

2011 Review: Hayes Carll is like a rocking country bar band, but they take it to the next level.  Hayes is an awesome songwriter, with a real storytelling approach that worked so well for the folksters and country artists in the 60s.  The band flat out rocks, incorporating rockabilly and some banging rock and roll, which I’m sure translates greatly.  Hayes Carll is a country artist that the rock crowd can gather round, especially with the respect his music pays to his forefathers.  Hayes can also bring emotional slow tunes to the fray, with soft slide guitar and some Willie-esque crooning.  He’s certainly one of the bright lights in a country scene completely overrun with a pop sound.

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GRIP - “Bernie Mac”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…IDK, Jimi Tents, Nick Grant

Atlanta’s GRIP is the sound of Southern rap of yesterday and today, absorbing classic rhymes and flows over creative and spacy, contemporary bass beats. GRIP is smooth and real on 2017 debut Porch and recent follow-up track “Bernie Mac”, lyrically dense tracks studied in songwriting from East, West and coasts in between. Over a combination of dramatic and chill beats, GRIP is able to shift from energetic sharp raps to cooled-out bars with ease, inviting psych rap tones without losing sight of the rhymes and beats that are core to GRIP’s hip hop roots.

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Haulm - “Loss”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 4

Pairs Well With…slenderbodies, Cape Francis, Rhye

I caught Haulm at perhaps the perfect time at SXSW 2018, exhausted at one in the morning trying to fit in just one more set before my body gave out. Haulm’s ultra-soft, electronic R&B perfectly enraptured that moment, performing a set of futurist lullabies born of downtempo rhythms and ambient soundscapes. Since that time, Haulm released their sophomore EP Posture, a natural continuation of the band’s hypnotic sound, embracing the post-midnight hours in sound and scope.

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SXSW 2019 - OEB Spreadsheet #94

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SLEEPWALKERS – “Never Enough”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 5

Pairs Well With… Mac DeMarco, The Feelies, Zak Waters

Everything is context.  If you ever got an email at work written in ALL CAPS, you likely thought -- Here comes trouble.  On the other hand, capitalized band names are typically just for eye catching and therefore O.K.  As a band, the SLEEPWALKERS are more than just O.K.  Brothers Michael and Austin York were raised by a mom who loved funk and a rock and roll dad and their music draws on these retro influences while still forging their own more modern sound.  “Never Enough” is the most disco-y of their recent singles and should play well live.  “Wake Up” play in the soft rock zone; like something off the soundtrack of an 80s teen rom-com. The divergent streams of their music are also reflected their touring partners which have included the Lumineers and Roddy Watson & the Business.  And to close the loop, the SLEEPWALKERS sort of  have a semi-decent reason for the fat finger on the cap key. After struggling to decide on a band name, the band was sifting through a large VHS collection for ideas and picked the same-named movie because they felt sleep deprived after doing shows and touring. Never mind that this Stephen King horror film is all about vampires that suck the life force from their victims. Apparently, they figured all caps would help distinguish the band from the film in search engine results.  FYI – it doesn’t -- hence my recently acquired knowledge of this film’s plot. (DZ)

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The Nude Party – “Chevrolet Van”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 6; Popularity Index: 6

Pairs Well With… The Doors, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones

Insert obligatory joke about the band name.  Insert semi-obligatory explanation of origin of band name.  Nope, don’t have time. Southbye has started and we only have time to sneak in a few last reviews.  Let’s start with “Chevrolet Van,” an ode to unwanted advice to getting a real job which  combines a dead-on imitation of Bob Dylan’s drawl combined with a 70’s pop rock chorus and guitar solo. The Nude Party has one foot planted in classic and psychedelic rock and another in alt country Americana.  Both strands are comfortable and fun listening, because although this is the band’s first album, they have been honing their live act for six years.  “Astral Man” and War is Coming” channel The Doors as if Jim Morrison was receiving just the right amount of medication.   “Wild Coyote” and “Gringo Che” show of more of their Western atmospherics. They’ve got a late show on Friday night at the Mohawk (outside) which would be a good place to see this band live. (DZ)

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Balto – “Bullshit Dream”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 6; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Wilco, Drive-By Truckers, Delta Spirit

For those of us troubled by our country’s ongoing political nightmare, SXSW offers a welcome week-long respite of getting lost in the music and music discovery.  For us old-timers, nothing suits that purpose better than a tight set from a talented rock ‘n’ roll band.  Balto fits that bill. Sometimes soulful, sometimes pounding out alt country guitar hooks, their recent songs range from conventional subjects, “Still Don’t Know (What Love is” ) to playful rockin’ fun, “Black Snack Mojave Blues.”  But to our ear, their new gem is their pointed Dylan-esque song,  “Bullshit Dream,” which provides a stream of consciousness commentary about all that’s messed up in America. With verses like: “Police beatings, holy wars, Walmart, cocaine, surplus corn, And I guess that’s what the flag is for, We all get what we deserve,” yeah its bleak, but it’s a great song and couldn’t be more timely.  It reminds me of when the Drive-By Truckers released “What It Means” in the wake of the Ferguson shooting.  Like that song, Balto’s “Bullshit Dream” is Americana protest music at its finest.  On the other hand, Balto does suggest that the only answer is to “do something righteous” like “make love in the back of your car.”  So maybe Balto is giving us permission after all to take a few days off and enjoy the music. (DZ)

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JonZ – “I’m the One”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 6; Popularity Index: 1

Pairs Well With…Lola Marsh, Mamas & Papas, Shiru Hashir

Israel folk duo JonZ’s “I’m the One,” with its peppy whistle solos, bears a resemblance to Lola Marsh, their countrymen who had a breakout 2018 SXSW.  However, while Lola Marsh is pure indie pop, the majority of JonZ’s album, Solid Wind, is intimate, gentle folk music; foregoing  handclaps and choruses in favor of patience and restraint. What makes JonZ stand out is their use of both detailed production and modern soundscapes along with traditional Israeli folk percussion and rhythm.  This is intelligent, introverted fusion music that is both interesting and listenable.  JonZ is playing Tuesday night at the Parish as part of the 5th Annual Oy Vey SXSW Showcase hosted by rapper Kosha Dillz. (DZ)

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Estefi Areas – “Martin”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 6; Popularity Index: 4

Pairs Well With… Zoe, Gin Blossoms, Del Amitri

Need to brighten up one of your SXXW afternoons?  Even if you don’t understand a word of Spanish, check out Estefi Areas and her band. Areas is an Argentine singer (now based in Mexico).  She sings a catchy, bouncy version of Latin indie rock.  Areas says she is influenced by pop-rock from the 90’s as well as Latin American music.  Video of her live shows reflect her positivity and playfulness, which should help win over an audience of mostly gringos in Austin.  For review, start with “Martin” and “La Plasha.”  Her ballads such as “Ey” and “El Amor Es Ciego” are mellower, and bring out her soulfulness more than her infectious energy.  Hopefully, she’ll stick with her more upbeat numbers in a short SXSW set. (DZ)

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Great Time - “Thank the Weekend”

SXSW 2019 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…Cults, Girlpool, HAIM

Great Time’s awesomely titled debut Great Album is not the uber-pop hooks you’d expect with their energetic nomenclature, rather the Philadelphia-area trio are distinctly melancholy performing in a wide, dream pop atmosphere. There is some sense of warm groove on tracks like “One.Thirty.Seven” and drum-and-bass infusion “Dag’ron”, but Great Time spend as much time exploring bedroom folk (“That 70s Song”, “Lazy Lilly”), crafting airy tunes with full-band subtlety. Their ability to play back and forth across this spectrum gives their debut engaging depth and excels their personality as internalized pop artists. Great Album is a record of twists and turns, leaning into whatever genre they explore whether future electronic or back-to-basics coffeehouse pop/rock. The band’s sole musical performance is with Amplify Philly at Pour Choices Monday night before Killiam Shakespeare and Strand of Oaks, but frontwoman Jill Ryan will also join fellow Philadelphia artists at a panel discussing local communities and artist support.