Dam Show' on tap July 18-19
FESTIVAL FAVORITES DUE TO PERFORM

Internationally renowned fiddler Michael Cleveland is one of the Dam Show headliners.

Heavy hitters from the 2008 festival scene will converge in Potter County over the July 18-19 weekend for the sixth annual Dam Show at the Austin Dam Memorial Park.

On Friday night and all day and night Saturday, the stage at the base of the Austin Dam ruins will be filled with the sounds of bluegrass, country, rock, old-timey music, gospel and other genres with broad appeal.

Several of the bands will be accompanied by a legion of faithful fans who have been following them along the festival circuit across the country, headlined by world-class fiddler Michael Cleveland and his band, Flamekeeper. They'll play a 90-minute set on Friday night.

Other acts who will attract their own roving fan base to Austin include the Ryan Montbleau Band, the Hackensaw Boys, and Buddhahood.

Lighting specialist Groovin' Lumens will be back to paint the dam ruins with a colorful light show in support of Dam Show sponsor, the Potter County Fine Arts Council, in partnership with the Austin Dam Memorial Association. Additional support comes from the Dominion Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Potter County Commissioners.

Free Grass Union will perform at the Dam Show both Friday and Saturday.

"This is the best musical lineup we've had since the Dam Show began," said Art Metzger, music director for the committee. "Mike Cleveland is a world-class fiddler, while Ryan Montbleau and the Hackensaw Boys have been packing them in at festivals this summer, and that's just the start!"

Performers at the top of the bill are playing longer sets this year, in response to surveys showing that many Dam Show attendees are particularly attracted by one or more acts and less enthused about variety.

"In response to that, we have been pretty particular about our music line-up this year," Metzger said. "At the same time, the people who have come to see the four featured performers should be very pleased."

Primitive camping is available at the park for $10 nightly or $15 for the weekend. Food and other vendor booths will be set up both days, with painting, beading, sand art, horse-drawn wagon rides and children's games featured.

Tickets for individuals are $15 per day or $25 for both days; a family pass is available at $30 for one day or $45 for both days.

Shuttle bus transportation is available for Dam Show attendees and some parking is available at the park entrance along Rt. 872.

A $5.00 discount is available on tickets purchased in advance. They're available in Austin at Big Mike's Dairy Dine; at the Wharton General Store; in Coudersport, at the Corner Store, Second Street Roost, Olga's Living with Art, and Potter County Education Council; and at Alyson Leach Studio and Gallery in Galeton.

Additional information on the Dam Show and the individual performers is available at the website, damshow.com.

Here's the lineup:

Friday, July 18:

5 pm: Dam Jam. Talented musicians from the local area kick off the show with an hourlong set of picking, jamming and singing.

6 pm: Free Grass Union. The band spins its blend of mountain music with bluegrass, dance tunes, blues, and more. There's a generous dose of mandolin, guitar, banjo and dobro work mixed in with rich harmonic vocals. Free Grass Union has opened for David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs and other bluegrass legends.

7 pm: Cherylann Hawk. They say she "awakens the soul." Hawk is graced with jazzy, percussive and dynamic acoustic guitar skills, rhythmic lyrics, catchy melodies, and a voice that saturates the senses. She is often compared to Joni Mitchell.

7:30 pm: Gail Ayers. Gifted with a deep and powerful voice, this Potter County resident stirs the soul as she sings gospel music from the heart.

8 pm: Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper. Considered one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers of his generation, Cleveland has played at the Grand Ole Opry with Allison Krause, Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, Doc Watson and others. He has won five Fiddle Player of the Year honors from the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and has also been honored for two IBMA albums of the year.

9:30 pm: Blue Sky Mission Club. The funky and inspiring band features world-class musicians with a deep understanding of roots, rhythm and bluegrass. Drummer Ron Riddle, formerly of Blue Oyster Cult, helps deliver a unique blend of soul, country and rock.

10:30 pm: Willy Jack and the Northern Lights. This Sunbury band jams all types of music, from jazz, funk, rock, and reggae with lots of improv. Willie Jack is in demand on college campuses.

Saturday, July 19

1 pm: J. Guy and the Grateful Floyd Band. They're a cross between the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd, heavy on guitar work and free-flowing feeling.

1:30 pm: Free Grass Union (see above)

2:15: Buddhahood Drum Workshop, "Drums Along Freeman Run" is a hands-on activity for all (bring your own hand drums or use the band's).

3:45 pm: Tom Martin. A singer, guitarist and songwriter, Martin is a combination balladeer and storyteller who mixes classic rock songs and even some gospel in his own repertoire, always with feeling.

4:30 pm: Freakish Owl Boy. What began as a side band for Eppie Cataldo Bailey (Jakobs Hollow) found its legs in Tennessee and has been tabbed to provide soundtrack music for a motion picture. Their work is acoustic-based, experimental, sometimes mocking, funny and undeniably charming.

5:15 pm: The Slant. Three young musicians with Coudersport roots are making a name for themselves in Pittsburgh. The Slant blends rollicking alt-country rock and more personal and intimate songs.

6 pm: Buddhahood. One of the most popular acts to ever appear at the Dam Show returns this year to fill the Freeman Run valley with the rich blend of horns, drums, vocal harmony and an infectious spirit.

7:30 pm: Ryan Montbleau Band. The band has been attracting a large following on a successful 2008 festival circuit that leads from California to Austin. As lead vocalist and guitarist, Montbleau is surrounded by young and talented performers who produce a musical tapestry that blends folk, blues, country, cocktail music, rock, gypsy jazz and psychedelia.

9:00 pm: Hackensaw Boys. This Americana band from Charlottesville, Va., mixes bluegrass, folk and old-time music with a show-biz style and some humor. The Boys are in high demand at festivals around the country.

10:30 pm: Redheaded Stepchild. Kathryn Koch and David Nanni have maintained a strong reputation as a live act while selling thousands of recordings. Built around Kathryn's fiery vocals - reminding some of Janis Joplin -- the songs are steeped in tradition, yet intensely original.