Battle of Jam Bands coming to the Warner

TORRINTON — Two Roads Brewing Co. and the Warner Theatre will present “The Road to Road Jam: A Battle of Jam Bands,” in the Warner’s Studio Theatre from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. Guests must be 21 to enter the event. A variety of Two Roads beers will be available for purchase. Five area jam bands — Ampevene, The Astral Pines, Moon Matrix of the Lizard People, One Time Weekend and Balter Band — will compete for the firstplace prize. The winning band will play at the annual Road Jam Music Festival as well as win a cash prize, tickets for the Jam Fest, swag bags and beer.

The Two Roads Brewing Co. Road Jam Music Festival will be held June 2020 at the Two Roads Campus in Stratford, CT. The Road Jam Music Festival is a mustattend event for music lovers, bringing together great jam bands from New England on two stages, with food trucks, beer and fun!

Ampevene is a fresh, experimental fusion of original progressive rock, psychedelic, and other genres. Based out of Albany, NY and currently comprised of Gabe Stallman (guitar and vocals), Mack Hogan (bass), Ava Smith (keys and synth), and Brian McKinney Fahey (drums), the band blends a free form frenzy, jagged riffs, and hypnotic rhythms into a tight, psychedelic, sonic landscape, designed to trip up and trip out any listener.

The Astral Pines is an improvisational fusion band based in Maine. Bringing guitar (Shawn Russell), drums (Liam Stride), bass (Keegan Arnold), keys (Kellen Radulski), and sax (Henry Raker) together in a dynamic live experience. The Pines strive to push musical boundaries, by collaborating with artists of different backgrounds.

Moon Matrix of the Lizard People is stylistically unique rock band from New Hartford, CT. From day one, the members of Moon Matrix have been singing, performing, and playing in sync as if they’d been together their entire musical careers. Throughout the course of the band’s union, they have won over the hearts of music lovers from all walks of life; performing at a variety of venues, making loads of public appearances, all the while recording new music.

One Time Weekend was formed in 2016 in Connecticut, and has made an impact as one of the youngest talents on the New England music scene, and is quickly on their way to spreading their original material around the country. Their fans love their music for its danceable and storytelling qualities, as well as its composition and creativity. The quartet is comprised of lead guitarists Adam Eytan and Zac Mulcahy, who are well known for their speed and “guitarmonies.” Bassist Ian D’Arcangelo holds down the low end while simultaneously delivering powerful lead vocals, and drummer Ben Sullivan ties it all together with his precise and inthepocket rhythm. All four members contribute in rousing four part harmonies, completing their sound.

Balter Band was formed in 2016 in New Jersey out of a jam collective of old high school friends, including Simone Presley (guitar), Nick Bene (guitar), Max Fishkin (bass), Chris Weisbecker (drums), Eric Marshott (percussion), Shehdaat Husain (keys), Alex Elsammak (sax), Jeremy Bunyaner (trumpet) and Sonya Klinger (vocals). Balter Band combines funk, rock, dance, jazz, and r&b to transform life's chaos into solid grooves and good times.

To purchase tickets, call the Warner Box Office at 8604897180 or visit warnertheatre.org.

Contributed photo The Warner Theatre is hosting Two Roads Brewery's annual Band Jam on Saturday.