Norman Hasman & Friends old Time Country & Bluegrass

If this was England, Norman Hasman would have been knighted by the Queen.  But as it is Rochester, he will have to settle for the admiration of his fans when he performs each Tuesday night in the summer along with String Theory at Johnny's Irish Pub on Culver.  His story is a remarkable one.  From his harrowing experiences as a flier in WWII where he was twice shot down and captured by Nazis, to his entrepreneurship and Toastmaster days, Norm loves to entertain with his own stories. Well into his 9th decade, he continues to play guitar and sing old country and bluegrass standards.  He brings a young crowd to its feet when he performs at Johnny's.  Flying his own personal planes, he is a seasonal migrator, back and forth between Arizona and Rochester.  Norman Hasman & Friends Old Time Country and Bluegrass band have been opening the Ontario Barn Festival since 2009.

String Fever

String Fever Band performs a variety of old time fiddle music with two fiddles, acoustic guitar and string bass. They perform with the relaxed feel of a jam session but with tight precision of a well-rehearsed set. They play a variety of festivals in the Rochester area as well as the other areas of NY state from the Adirondacks to Watkins Glen and private parties and weddings.

Serge & Friends was formed in August of 2010 in response to a growing need for yet another bluegrass band.  It took 120 years of combined musical journeys and a city the size of Rochester, New York in order for this brew to be ready for consumption.  Serge Tsvasman’s strong voice and rhythm guitar blends with the lively drumming of Phil Close.  The rest of the band – Tom Bernhardi on an array of Mississippi trombones (harmonicas), Steve Day on dobro and Dan Walpole on mandolin and banjolin – adds texture and flavor to the sound.  The band’s repertoire spans from the roots music of Mississippi John Hurt, Elizabeth Cotten and Bob Marley to songs by Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jerry Garcia, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Gillian Welch, The Band and Railroad Earth.

Waitin' On A Train

"...Waitin On A Train embodies the spirit of creativity as they, despite paying homage to an earlier time and sound, can craft songs as timeless and unique as the ones they cover....." Rick Noll - Bona Fide Records

"...I am most impressed with the amount of energy put into their performance. The instruments are played hard and the vocals often reach a fevered pitch.....
" Walt Crider - President, Seven Mountains Bluegrass Association

www.myspace.com/waitinonatrain, www.waitinonatrain.com

Hypnotic Clambake

Hypnotic Clambake has been inciting audiences to riot around the country since its humble beginnings in Boston, MA in 1990. The intervening time has seen the release of seven highly acclaimed albums, performances all over the country with groups such as Phish and the Dave Matthews Band, and thousands of new fans everywhere they've gone.

In the scheme of things, Hypnotic Clambake's newest release Mayonnaise successfully visits pop culture and unleashes a pure, sonic sound experience that rocks the hum-drum of daily life on the planet as we know it! It also serves as an excellent condiment on your next sandwich! Full of irresistible grooves and lyrics, this album explores life, robots, the daily grind, hope, refrigerators, and the integrity of humanity. Get ready to be exposed to a new way of thinking about nothing and everything!

www.myspace.com/HypnoticClambake

The Leafcutters

Singer & multi-instrumentalist Stephen LoVerme (performing at last year's Barn Festival with his brother as The Brementown Musicians) returns with longtime pal Andy Smeltz as The Leafcutters. Adopting the namesake of the Leafcutter Ant - the only organism besides humans to develop and practice agriculture - the duo bridges the old with the new, serving up a fresh take on traditional folk songs and rock 'n roll classics, along with original tunes whose influences span the breath of modern music history.

http://leafcutters.tumblr.com