Roots Family Reunion

Lying somewhere between the honky-tonk swagger of Hank Williams, the self-effacing confessionals of Loudon Wainwright III, and the wry pop wit of Elvis Costello, Chris Q. Murphy rolls his years of experiences on stage in classical choirs, in the van with indie rock bands, and nights at old-time jams into what's quickly becoming one of the most fun ways to spend a night out in Brooklyn. Backed by the Fiendish Thingies, a rotating cast of pickers and singers in their own right, Murphy has spent the last three years making believers of non-country fans in South Brooklyn and beyond. Steel guitar, upright bass, and bluegrass harmony abound, but are mere window dressing for Murphy's impressive arsenal of pop-flavored country originals and choice standard honky-tonk and bluegrass numbers.

Matt Frye is a singer songwriter from North Carolina based out of Brooklyn. His influences range from Woody Guthrie, John Prine and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The songs themselves have a dirty twang. They rhyme sometimes. And there's something disarmingly cheerful about them, Frye's acoustic guitar and smile evoke campfire singalongs, even as the lyrics center on the deteriorating effects of loneliness.