RTP-area local music and culture

[dorabenc AT gmail.com]

A.J.Shanti + Rodie Ray in Chapel Hill

www.myspace.com/ajshanti
www.myspace.com/rodieray

May 11 @ The Cave - 9pm, 452 1/2 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill,
27516
May 12 @ Mansion 462 - 9pm, 462 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill, 27516

A.J. Shanti, a young singer-songwriter from New York has recently
released her debut album =93Baby Beau Blue=94, promoted it on her
successful first tour of Europe and is now touring the East Cost
accompanied by a Croatian musician Dora Benc. A.J.=92s raw and emotional
tunes cut at issues of love, pain and queer revolution.


Rodie Ray, a ten year veteran to the Southeastern Indie Rock scene,
has been writing and performing music since her childhood in the rural
South. Years later, and a debut CD, which garnered her an invitation
from Sarah McLachlan to join the Lilith Fair tour, Rodie continues to
use her southern wit and quizzical girlish charms to reel in large
devoted audiences around the Southeast. She, along with her band
(which uses her name,) have shared the stage with Grammy award winners
Sarah McLachlan and Bonnie Raitt. Rodie has also headlined with
country music legend Merle Haggard. She and her band have also served
as a support band for Grammy award winner blues legend Taj Mahal.
"Hazy Bittersweet", Rodie's latest release, was penned, recorded and
all instruments on the album were performed by her. She is currently
working on her fourth record "Encapsulated" a confessional ten song
piano based project due out in 2009.