ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

The Killian Troupe hails from Fairfield County, Connecticut and plays classic rock and country stringband music with Richard King on guitar, and Ward Whipple on bass. 

The Killian Troupe performs mainly as the duo of Richard King and Ward Whipple, with spot appearances by other musicians.  Our repertoire includes music from such diverse artists as Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon,  Shel Silverstein  and Kinky Friedman as well as occasional original material.  The wide variety of their music as well as their easy rapport with audiences of all ages makes them uniquely entertaining.

Richard King, lead singer and guitarist is a singer/songwriter and coffee-house musician with over 50 years of experience playing in bars, restaurants, clubs, and coffee-houses from California to Connecticut and many places in between.

Ward Whipple, bass player and vocalist has played in numerous bands over the years as well as performing solo in venues around Connecticut.  He has been with the Killian Troupe since March of 2015.

Declaring oneself “The Optimist” is a bold move, especially on an album with as many songs of murder, heartache, and South American gunslinging as Grover Anderson’s 2014 release. Even interweaved with the songs about growing old together or how much fun it is being the big spoon, there’s always a thorn or two hidden somewhere in the lenses of Grover’s rose-colored glasses. A long-held belief that the darkness leads us to appreciate the light permeates his songwriting and informs his mission to celebrate life in all its ups and downs through songwriting and performance.

Grover was raised in the historic gold rush town of Murphys, CA. The rich culture of the area (along with lifelong immersion in fiction, theater and 90’s country music) instilled a storytelling nature that is evident in Grover’s writing. He assembled a bar band while attending UC Santa Barbara, put all of the tips from his restaurant job into a jar, and used it to record a pop/rock album. After some layovers in LA and Oakland, where he formed the folk duo Freight with Jimbo Scott, Grover and his family returned to Murphys to reconnect with the small mountain atmosphere that provided such inspiration as a youth. Living in California’s vastly varying environments provided ample material for his next two albums, which Grover self-produced. “Moonshine”, the opening track on the mostly-acoustic Tourniquet (2011), has grown into a fan favorite since its original recording as a duet with LA artist Samantha Free. While recording The Optimist (2014), which includes love songs like “Little Spoon” and “Sick of You” and more tragic ballads “The Lampolier” and “Grindstone“, Grover assembled musician friends from all over the state to create a diverse collection of country, rock, bluegrass, and jazz.  His 2017 acoustic album, From the Pink Room, is a collection of songs that Grover recorded at his home studio deep in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and was named the #2 album of the year by music site Independent Clauses. 

While he loves sharing his recorded music (he currently has over 1.9 million streams on Spotify), Grover’s true passion is live performance. Whether performing solo with his acoustic guitar or with the full band behind him, he channels musical heroes like Garth Brooks and Josh Ritter, leaving everything he has on stage. He is a passionate performer who grows his fanbase with every gig, be it for a wine bar of thirty or an amphitheater of thousands.

Justin Chandler, born and raised in eastern Connecticut, discovered his love for country music at an early age and has been unstoppable since. Growing up, he was successful in several singing competitions, taught himself to play guitar, and enjoys recording whenever he has the chance. All the while continues to write his own music and is an intricate and inspiring lyricist.

In 2010 he became the lead singer of Nashville Drive which has grown to become Connecticut’s premier modern country band. They have opened for national headliners such as Jason Sturgeon, Craig Campbell and Colt Ford. Recently, Justin has also developed a talented solo acoustic career, playing all your favorite modern country songs, along with his fun & catchy originals. Whether you catch him as the party band frontman or on his own with a guitar, the show will have you singing along.

We are Auguste and Alden, a sibling band from Northwest Connecticut. We consist of two siblings who play bass and guitar complimented by melodic blood harmonies in addition to the third part harmonies contributed by our drummer. We recently released our new album called Road Warrior, which has been producing a lot of positive momentum among fans and the music industry. We are a brother and sister who passionately write and perform our own original music and are also able to perform popular cover songs dependent on the specific needs of the venue. Due to playing music together our entire lives, we have created extremely unique and creative musical arrangements. As a band we have toured nationally performing on main stages and venues such as the NAMM show, providing us the opportunity to play alongside many major artists. Our passion to make music is evident by our catalog of over 70 original songs we have written, produced, and recorded.

Bob Stanhope, a prolific songwriter, has performed as a singer-songwriter in many different settings. Recently he has been a featured performer at The Bushnell Pavilion in Hartford, First Night Danbury, The Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, and The Danbury City Center Summer Concert Series. He is a thirteen-time winner in the Billboard Magazine Songwriting Contest and has fronted the vocal group Cornerstone and the rock band Cross Purpose. His acting in community theater includes lead roles in “1776”, “Born Yesterday”, “Sugar”, “A Christmas Carol: The Musical”, “It’s A wonderful Life: The Musical”, and “Mr. Roberts.” Finally he’s self-published twelve detective novels, three memoirs, and back in the 80s and 90s Bob was the morning “guy” at several suburban radio stations.

Anthony Gach is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and teacher. He has studied Music Composition at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, and has played and toured extensively with a number of various musicians in a wide array of genres. He takes on songwriting and arranging duties to compliment his vocal stylings and trumpet playing for his most recent project “Anthony Gach & HARMONIC AGGRESSION.” In addition to bandleader, Anthony regularly lends himself to other bands as a backing musician on various interments as well as consistently performing crowd pleasing covers and original music with just his voice and solo acoustic guitar.

Billy Michael has been a prominent and popular performer in the Connecticut area for decades. His success as a solo artist and membership in an impressive number of duos and bands has led him to possess a vast knowledge of music and an incomparable talent. Among many accomplishments, Billy is the proud founder of the performance group and program known as “Jazz for Juniors”, which allows young musicians of all skill levels and instruments a chance to develop as performers and artists. It is through this program that he met and influenced Anna Bishop.

Anna Bishop is a nineteen-year-old singer and college student. She has been performing with Billy since she was twelve and, in that time, has amassed a massive repertoire of songs in nearly every genre. In high school, Anna was a National Young Arts Merit Winner in the category of Popular Voice two years in a row. She has also been in several television commercials including, Goldfish, Longhorn Steakhouse, and Rite-aid. While Anna possesses an innate talent for singing, she attributes her success and skill as a performer to her time spent with Billy Michael.

​Billy and Anna recently came together to form the duo “Hey 19!” They perform everything from jazz standards to country and classic rock to modern pop and often take requests. In the few months since the duo’s conception, they’ve played a wide variety of restaurants and events in the Connecticut area. Hey19! strives to play something for everyone and guarantees that you will leave their gigs with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

British bassist, Charles Berthoud (pronounced BEAR-too), is changing the way we think about the bass guitar. As one of the most exciting and versatile new bass players on the world stage, his compositions are both moving and beautiful, showing off a technique that he is helping to bring to the mainstream. Already being recognized as one of the masters of the two-handed tapping technique, he plays the bass like a piano, accompanying himself with multiple parts. A classically trained pianist and muiti-instrumentalist, Charles uses contemporary guitar techniques to play astonishingly fast, almost flamenco-like passages. Mastering his instrument through years and countless hours of practicing, Charles’ compositions range from the drama of a film score to the peaceful tranquility of a piano sonata.

In 2011, Charles was stuck. Working as a baggage handler at an airport near his suburban London home, he was attending university as a physics major by day and dreaming of coming to America to make music by night. Since he was a young boy, he had idolized the great American bassists, especially Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, and, of course, James Jamerson. He knew that if he wanted to realize his dream, it was now or never. Soon thereafter, Charles was accepted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and off he went to study with the best class of musicians in the world. There, mentored by New England bass impresario, Jim Stinnett, Charles was introduced to the two-handed tapping technique that would come to define much of his own music. Before graduating Berklee with highest honors, Charles co-authored an instructional book, Two-Handed Tapping, with Stinnett. Now, his talents are in high demand as a touring and studio musician.

Half British, half Finnish, and living in the United States, Charles Berthoud is an international artist in the truest form. Artists from all over the world, including the USA, India and Brazil, have been eager to collaborate with him. It doesn’t seem to matter the style. Whether it’s pop/rock/country, celtic/bluegrass/funk, or progressive folk, Charles’ playing transcends genre. That may explain why, at such a young age, he has conducted workshops and clinics across the northeast, including at Berklee and the New Hampshire Bass Fest.

Charles has performed at prestigious venues in all four corners of the United States, including The Capitol Center for the Arts, The Palace Theater, and the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. Whether on bass guitar, piccolo bass or piano, audiences are captivated by his music, and amazed by his world-class virtuosity. After touring and recording as a sideman on a dozen records and tours, Charles now has two solo albums under his belt. While New Age of Solo Bass introduced his technical skills to the world, his follow up, Don’t Look Back, is a compositional tour de force. The songs are beautiful and moving, reminding the listener that there are still new frontiers to be explored in popular music. If Charles Berthoud is the one to chart this new territory, then music lovers are in good hands.

Glenn Roth is not your typical commuter from Connecticut. Instead of a briefcase, he carries a gig bag. His workspace is the vaulted splendor of Grand Central Terminal or the tunnels and platforms of the New York City subway system. A literal “underground” sensation, Glenn is a licensed performer in the MTA’s “Music under New York” program, playing for the most distracted and demanding audience in the world: legions of workers rushing to jobs throughout the Big Apple. And his fingers work magic, creating a soundscape of compelling melodies that invite them to leave the cityrush behind on an aural escape.

Glenn is a fingerstyle guitarist, his thumb riding the bassline and the melody driving all. His compositions suggest multiple guitars, but it’s really just one guy, ten flying fingers, one instrument. All instrumental, Glenn’s songs suggest moods and narratives that compel the listener to fill in the details.

Jake Kulak picked up a guitar at age 11 and instinctively knew what to do with it.  Within a couple of months he was playing at open jams in the CT blues and jazz scene.  At age 13 he made the first of many trips to Memphis where he played in clubs on Beale Street as part of the International Blue Challenge Youth Showcase, and to Clarksdale, MS where he attended the Pinetop Perkins Masterclass in Guitar, learning from living blues legends like Bob Margolin.  At age 13 he was also recognized with a merit scholarship by the Honeyboy Edwards Fund for the Blues at the National Blues Museum.  Several years later Jake is playing 60+ professional gigs a year, all while still attending High School.  He can play solo acoustic, solo electric or rock out with his full band, Jake Kulak and the LowDown.

Jake Kulak and the LowDown bring their blend of modern and traditional guitar-driven blues and blues-rock to music lovers everywhere.  Formed in 2013, these talented young artists have represented CT for the past 4 years at the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase in Memphis, TN.  They have also been nominated for a New England Music Award in the “Best New Act of the Year” category and were one of 6 Boston-area bands to win the the House of Blues emerging artist competition. Bassist Anthony Dailey, from Longmeadow, MA is a crowd favorite with his quiet swagger and tasteful grooves. Drummer, Jeremy Peck, from Manchester, Connecticut is a formally trained, multi-instrumentalist whose killer, high-energy beats anchor the band.

Sister Funk Trio is an incarnation of the 5-piece high energy pop/rock band, still fun and professional yet stripped down to give a more intimate sound.

With their extensive catalogue of music you’ll catch the crowd singing along to their favorite cover songs or listening to the melodic harmony driven originals.

This three piece powerhouse brings an entertaining show which is never the same. With their ability to play a variety of instruments: sax, guitar, keyboards and cajon they bring a unique sound to classic and contemporary songs.

Whether they are rocking out a happy hour or opening up for Foreigner, the trio never disappoints!

You are guaranteed a night of great music and killer harmonies.

With thumping thumb, dancing fingers, wailing harmonica and gritty, soul stirring vocals, Taylor’s songs ooze American roots; wandering roots. He’s drawn many comparisons, including Tom Waits, Stephen Stills, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and Tom Rush, but his unique lyrics are colored by his own working class, wandering roots. He’s been an oysterman, cabinetmaker, father, Appalachian Trail ‘thru-hiker’ and full-time troubadour from New England to Nashville, for ten years. He’s shared the stage with legends such as Maria Muldaur, Vance Gilbert and Peter Mulvey, and released his 4th CD, “Balance,” in April 2017.

Listen to and buy our album Heartwood:

Spotify https://goo.gl/r7tBYS YouTube https://goo.gl/3bX8xe CD Baby https://goo.gl/E4Nf1T iTunes https://goo.gl/47Cp1V Amazon https://goo.gl/7VTer4

Trickling out the mind of Dave Oberacker (vox, guitars) GoRjA not only burst into our worlds through music, but also changed the view of it. The front man of Seeking Homer had pubs swinging to both original tunes and favorite singalongs including his infamous version of “Star Spangled Banner” for years. Last year Oberacker added old friend, guitarist extraordinaire, Dave Fusaro, to the circuit creating a buzz that would soon translate into what we now know as GoRjA.In late 2016, Davey linked up with Dave’s fellow musicians, Andrew “AKA47” Kramer (guitars, lap, steel), Mike “Lear-Dog” Leary (bass) and Chris “Cross Stick” Cacciato (drums). Andrew, known for bleeding his instruments onto tracks with local favorites Morningside, Failure’s Art and Litmus, brings a dynamic sound that hits like an AK-47 through your ears and heart. The rhythm section of Cacciato and Leary have been hittin’ it and laying down the vibe for almost two decades now including their early years in local favorite Stony Hill and the Jibe with Fusaro. These three come to GoRjA after years of collaborating on projects – Weathered Helm, Bourbon Prophecy and Frogtown Road with Paul Simon and Edie Brickell.Dusting off the cobwebs with some Tom Petty, Dawes, Sturgill Simpson and Bruce Springsteen the boys took on some GoRjA tunes of their own with some collaborations from Kevin “Wild Thing” McCloskey (lyricist). As rumor has it…the walls shook, closed in and with a bang…GoRjA was. With a bag full of originals and some unique takes on your favorite songs, the boys continue set their sights on a summer full of bringing GoRjA into your heads and hearts through live shows, recordings and beyond.

We are Auguste and Alden, a sibling band from Northwest Connecticut. We consist of two siblings who play bass and guitar complimented by melodic blood harmonies in addition to the third part harmonies contributed by our drummer. We recently released our new album called Road Warrior, which has been producing a lot of positive momentum among fans and the music industry. We are a brother and sister who passionately write and perform our own original music and are also able to perform popular cover songs dependent on the specific needs of the venue. Due to playing music together our entire lives, we have created extremely unique and creative musical arrangements. As a band we have toured nationally performing on main stages and venues such as the NAMM show, providing us the opportunity to play alongside many major artists. Our passion to make music is evident by our catalog of over 70 original songs we have written, produced, and recorded.

Will, Mat and Dan (sometimes known as WMD) has its roots in classic Americana and bluegrass, but that doesn’t limit us.  We sing and play our instruments – guitar, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, even suitcase percussion! – with high-energy and we’re happiest when the audience has as much fun as the band.

We first got together at open mics and debuted at Bethel’s Earth Day celebration in 2017.

Will Demers, vocals, guitar & mandolin

Mat Kastner, vocals, guitar, slide guitar, mandolin

Dan Bonis, vocals, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro and suitcase percussion

Dave Anastasia, bass

Jake Kulak picked up a guitar at age 11 and instinctively knew what to do with it.  Within a couple of months he was playing at open jams in the CT blues and jazz scene.  At age 13 he made the first of many trips to Memphis where he played in clubs on Beale Street as part of the International Blue Challenge Youth Showcase, and to Clarksdale, MS where he attended the Pinetop Perkins Masterclass in Guitar, learning from living blues legends like Bob Margolin.  At age 13 he was also recognized with a merit scholarship by the Honeyboy Edwards Fund for the Blues at the National Blues Museum.  Several years later Jake is playing 60+ professional gigs a year, all while still attending High School.  He can play solo acoustic, solo electric or rock out with his full band, Jake Kulak and the LowDown.

Jake Kulak and the LowDown bring their blend of modern and traditional guitar-driven blues and blues-rock to music lovers everywhere.  Formed in 2013, these talented young artists have represented CT for the past 4 years at the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase in Memphis, TN.  They have also been nominated for a New England Music Award in the “Best New Act of the Year” category and were one of 6 Boston-area bands to win the the House of Blues emerging artist competition. Bassist Anthony Dailey, from Longmeadow, MA is a crowd favorite with his quiet swagger and tasteful grooves. Drummer, Jeremy Peck, from Manchester, Connecticut is a formally trained, multi-instrumentalist whose killer, high-energy beats anchor the band.

Leslie Costa is a singer/songwriter who has been playing live and recording her original music in Fairfield County, CT. She started her band Leslie Costa & the Usual Suspects in 1990. Over the years she and the band built a loyal following while performing live and recording CD’s. Her songs are engaging and authentic while always speaking a personal message. She is highly respected in the local area as one of Connecticut’s  best singer/songwriters.

Sister Funk Trio is an incarnation of the 5-piece high energy pop/rock band, still fun and professional yet stripped down to give a more intimate sound.

With their extensive catalogue of music you’ll catch the crowd singing along to their favorite cover songs or listening to the melodic harmony driven originals.

This three piece powerhouse brings an entertaining show which is never the same. With their ability to play a variety of instruments: sax, guitar, keyboards and cajon they bring a unique sound to classic and contemporary songs.

Whether they are rocking out a happy hour or opening up for Foreigner, the trio never disappoints!

You are guaranteed a night of great music and killer harmonies.

Orb Mellon is the blues moniker of Mike Malone, founder and guitarist of the seminal 1990s indie rock band and Sony/Epic recording artists Dirt Merchants.

Orb Mellon mines the raw energy of 20th Century American roots music, particularly whiskey fueled house party delta blues. Influenced by the likes of Bukka White, Junior Kimbrough, and John Fahey, Orb Mellon  performs pure, sonically aggressive, and ever transforming original folk blues, free from any quaintness or historicism, prompting one early reviewer to identify Orb Mellon’s work simply as “blues in all its primeval glory.”  He has performed extensively around the eastern United States and Canada sharing the stage with such diverse acts as David Johansen (NY Dolls), Daddy Long Legs, Charlie Parr, R.L.Boyce and Brownbird Rudy Relic.  In 2018, Orb Mellon was a feature performer at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Will, Mat and Dan (sometimes known as WMD) has its roots in classic Americana and bluegrass, but that doesn’t limit us.  We sing and play our instruments – guitar, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, even suitcase percussion! – with high-energy and we’re happiest when the audience has as much fun as the band.

We first got together at open mics and debuted at Bethel’s Earth Day celebration in 2017.

Will Demers, vocals, guitar & mandolin

Mat Kastner, vocals, guitar, slide guitar, mandolin

Dan Bonis, vocals, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro and suitcase percussion

Dave Anastasia, bass

British bassist, Charles Berthoud (pronounced BEAR-too), is changing the way we think about the bass guitar. As one of the most exciting and versatile new bass players on the world stage, his compositions are both moving and beautiful, showing off a technique that he is helping to bring to the mainstream. Already being recognized as one of the masters of the two-handed tapping technique, he plays the bass like a piano, accompanying himself with multiple parts. A classically trained pianist and muiti-instrumentalist, Charles uses contemporary guitar techniques to play astonishingly fast, almost flamenco-like passages. Mastering his instrument through years and countless hours of practicing, Charles’ compositions range from the drama of a film score to the peaceful tranquility of a piano sonata.

In 2011, Charles was stuck. Working as a baggage handler at an airport near his suburban London home, he was attending university as a physics major by day and dreaming of coming to America to make music by night. Since he was a young boy, he had idolized the great American bassists, especially Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, and, of course, James Jamerson. He knew that if he wanted to realize his dream, it was now or never. Soon thereafter, Charles was accepted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and off he went to study with the best class of musicians in the world. There, mentored by New England bass impresario, Jim Stinnett, Charles was introduced to the two-handed tapping technique that would come to define much of his own music. Before graduating Berklee with highest honors, Charles co-authored an instructional book, Two-Handed Tapping, with Stinnett. Now, his talents are in high demand as a touring and studio musician.

Half British, half Finnish, and living in the United States, Charles Berthoud is an international artist in the truest form. Artists from all over the world, including the USA, India and Brazil, have been eager to collaborate with him. It doesn’t seem to matter the style. Whether it’s pop/rock/country, celtic/bluegrass/funk, or progressive folk, Charles’ playing transcends genre. That may explain why, at such a young age, he has conducted workshops and clinics across the northeast, including at Berklee and the New Hampshire Bass Fest.

Charles has performed at prestigious venues in all four corners of the United States, including The Capitol Center for the Arts, The Palace Theater, and the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. Whether on bass guitar, piccolo bass or piano, audiences are captivated by his music, and amazed by his world-class virtuosity. After touring and recording as a sideman on a dozen records and tours, Charles now has two solo albums under his belt. While New Age of Solo Bass introduced his technical skills to the world, his follow up, Don’t Look Back, is a compositional tour de force. The songs are beautiful and moving, reminding the listener that there are still new frontiers to be explored in popular music. If Charles Berthoud is the one to chart this new territory, then music lovers are in good hands.

Jake Kulak picked up a guitar at age 11 and instinctively knew what to do with it.  Within a couple of months he was playing at open jams in the CT blues and jazz scene.  At age 13 he made the first of many trips to Memphis where he played in clubs on Beale Street as part of the International Blue Challenge Youth Showcase, and to Clarksdale, MS where he attended the Pinetop Perkins Masterclass in Guitar, learning from living blues legends like Bob Margolin.  At age 13 he was also recognized with a merit scholarship by the Honeyboy Edwards Fund for the Blues at the National Blues Museum.  Several years later Jake is playing 60+ professional gigs a year, all while still attending High School.  He can play solo acoustic, solo electric or rock out with his full band, Jake Kulak and the LowDown.

Jake Kulak and the LowDown bring their blend of modern and traditional guitar-driven blues and blues-rock to music lovers everywhere.  Formed in 2013, these talented young artists have represented CT for the past 4 years at the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase in Memphis, TN.  They have also been nominated for a New England Music Award in the “Best New Act of the Year” category and were one of 6 Boston-area bands to win the the House of Blues emerging artist competition. Bassist Anthony Dailey, from Longmeadow, MA is a crowd favorite with his quiet swagger and tasteful grooves. Drummer, Jeremy Peck, from Manchester, Connecticut is a formally trained, multi-instrumentalist whose killer, high-energy beats anchor the band.

With thumping thumb, dancing fingers, wailing harmonica and gritty, soul stirring vocals, Taylor’s songs ooze American roots; wandering roots. He’s drawn many comparisons, including Tom Waits, Stephen Stills, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and Tom Rush, but his unique lyrics are colored by his own working class, wandering roots. He’s been an oysterman, cabinetmaker, father, Appalachian Trail ‘thru-hiker’ and full-time troubadour from New England to Nashville, for ten years. He’s shared the stage with legends such as Maria Muldaur, Vance Gilbert and Peter Mulvey, and released his 4th CD, “Balance,” in April 2017.