Neha Patil (Editor)

Sirius.B (band)

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Years active
  
2006–present

Albums
  
Dazzling Urbanites

Website
  
www.siriusbmusic.com

Sirius.B (band) httpsa4imagesmyspacecdncomimages032946ec6

Origin
  
Asheville, North Carolina, United States

Genres
  
Gypsy punkWorld musicIndie rock

Members
  
Pancho Romero BondXavier FerdónImhotepFranklin KeelMattick FrickBrian HermansonLee StanfordRyan KijankaMike Oliver

Past members
  
Lauren BakerBryshen BrothwellRachael KistlerAmy LovingerMike MorelBranco CotesJamie DavisLaura BaskervillHannah FurgiueleBruce Comings

Sirius.B is an eight-piece musical group from Asheville, NC. It was formed in late 2006 by Xavier Ferdón, Pancho Romero Bond, and Imhotep and takes its name from the white dwarf star, Sirius B. The band describes itself as "Absurdist Gypsy Folk Funk Punk". Sirius.B combines accordion, volin, cello, acoustic guitar, flamenco and electric guitar, charango, banjo, African drums, marching band percussion, snare drum, upright bass, melodica, clarinet, and multi-lingual vocals to create a sound that has a gypsy feel, but with elements from other modern genres.

Contents

In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2014, Sirius.B was voted:

  • No. 1 Favorite All-Around Band
  • No. 1 Acoustic/Folk Band (tie)
  • No. 1 Rock Band
  • In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2013, Sirius.B was voted:

  • No. 1 Favorite All-Around Band
  • No. 1 Acoustic/Folk Band
  • No. 1 Rock Band
  • No. 3 World Music Band
  • In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2012, Sirius.B was voted:

  • No. 1 Favorite Local Band
  • No. 1 Local Gypsy Absurdist Punk Rock Band
  • No. 3 Local Band: Acoustic / Folk
  • In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2011, Sirius.B was voted:

  • No. 1 Next Big Thing
  • No. 1 Local Band: Rock
  • No. 2 Favorite Local Band
  • No. 2 Local Band: Acoustic/Folk
  • In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2010, Sirius.B was voted:

  • No. 1 Next Big Thing
  • No. 2 Experimental Band
  • No. 2 Rock Band
  • In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2009, Sirius.B was voted:

  • No. 1 Rock Band
  • No. 1 Experimental Band (tie)
  • No. 2 Indie Band
  • No. 3 Live Show of 2009 - (Beating Sirius.B for Best Live Show were the Beastie Boys and Phish.)
  • In addition, Sirius.B also won awards in the Best of WNC 2007 and Best of WNC 2008. Mountain Xpress writes, "folk-punk artists Sirius B are, according to Xpress readers, the ones to watch."

    Sirius.B's songs can be heard on regional radio stations such as 88.7FM WNCW, 105.9FM The Mountain, 98.1FM The River, 880AM The Revolution, and Power 90.5FM. They have also made a live appearance on the WDVX Knoxville Blue Plate Special, which has hosted other artists such as Bela Fleck and The Avett Brothers.

    In addition to the Asheville area, they tour regionally to venues in Atlanta and Athens, GA; Columbia and Charleston, SC; and Knoxville and Johnson City, TN. They often host ticket sales on their main website. The Mountain Xpress states that "The excitement of a Sirius.B show has been compared by the press to what 'one would imagine Athens’s 40 Watt Club to have been like in the early days of R.E.M."

    Their original album, "Dazzling Urbanites" was released on May 3, 2008.

    Their second album, "Monkey Robot Soldier" was released on March 27, 2010.

    Their third album, "The Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman" was recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studio and released on September 28, 2012, after raising $9,150 through their Kickstarter campaign.

    Current members

  • Pancho Romero Bond - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Kazoo
  • Xavier Ferdón – Guitar, Chromatic Button Accordion, Charango, Banjo, Vocals
  • Imhotep - Percussion
  • Franklin Keel - Cello, Vocals
  • Mattick Frick - Percussion, Vocals
  • Brian Hermanson - Clarinet
  • Lee Stanford - Violin, Vocals
  • Ryan Kijanka - Upright Bass, Vocals
  • Mike Oliver - Percussion
  • In the Asheville Symphony Orchestra Franklin Keel is the Assistant Principal Cellist.

    Lovinger and Keel also are members of the Opal String Quartet.

    Former members

  • Lauren Baker - Vocals, Melodica, Musical Saw
  • Bryshen Brothwell - Accordion, Upright Bass, Piano
  • Rachael Kistler - Violin
  • Amy Lovinger - Violin
  • Mike Morel - Percussion
  • Branco Cotes - Percussion
  • Jamie Davis - Bass Guitar
  • Laura Baskervill - Violin
  • Hannah Furgiuele - Violin, Viola
  • Bruce Comings - Bass Guitar
  • Frick and Brothwell are also members of The Bloodroot Orkaestarr.

    Special guests

  • Todd Scholl, aka FrostyG - Vocals
  • Seth Kellam - Vocals
  • Discography

  • Monkey Robot Soldier (2010)
  • Dazzling Urbanites (2008)
  • The Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman (2012)
  • Press

  • Feature Article in The Blue Banner on 9/26/2013
  • CD Review "A Night Out with Sirius.B" in Steampunk Chronicle by Doctor Q on 5/26/2012
  • Article "Are you Sirius?" in Bold Life Magazine on 11/29/2010
  • Review of "Monkey Robot Soldier" in Mountain Xpress Magazine on 06/12/2010
  • Review of "Monkey Robot Soldier" in Bold Life Magazine on 05/10/2010
  • Video of Sirius.B's appearance on radio station 880 The Revolution on 3/15/2010
  • Article in Mountain XPress Vol. 16 / Iss. 28 on 02/03/2010
  • Citizen Times Article 09/29/2008
  • Video posted on Blog Asheville of Sirius.B and their performance on WWCU 90.5FM
  • Article from The Knoxville News Sentinel on 12/14/2007
  • Article in Mountain XPress Vol. 14 / Iss. 18 on 11/28/2007
  • Mountain XPress Band Description
  • Songs

    Samba SelvagemBagunca- Essential Brazillian Jazz Dance · 2007
    Harlequin SlinkyThe Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman · 2012
    The Moonshine TreeThe Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman · 2012

    References

    Sirius.B (band) Wikipedia