O.A.R. headlines 2025 NC Rock Autism Music Festival

Some things are built to last. During the course of its two decades of making records, O.A.R. — lead singer and primary songwriter Marc Roberge, drummer Chris Culos, guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman and saxophonist/guitarist Jerry DePizzo—has created and maintained a sort of a parallel universe. In effect hiding in plain sight from the world outside, the band fills arenas and amphitheaters as it crafts and releases relatable songs with big pop hooks, all of this activity going down completely apart from the mainstream. Within this universe, these songs are bona fide hits, and the band members are superstars.
Now, 20 years, endless shows and 13 albums later, O.A.R. (an acronym for the band’s full name: .…of a revolution) has assembled a comprehensive career overview: XX ; a 24-track, half-studio and half-live collection, shines a light on key moments from this vital, prolific band’s recording career. As a bonus to O.A.R.’s ecstatically devoted fans, the set opens with a pair of inspired, newly written songs: “Follow Me, Follow You” and “I Go Through,” which were written and recorded as the cameras rolled during Qello Concerts’ captivating six-part docu-series Evolution of a Song.
“People like being part of what we are doing, because we exist and we succeed within our own community,” Roberge points out. “We have no desire to exist or succeed by someone else’s standards. We just want to provide for our families and give them every opportunity, and do that by playing shows and making music.”
XX is neither a career culmination nor a conventional greatest-hits album; rather, it’s a sizing up, a series of aural snapshots on a continuing journey. Roberge views O.A.R.’s evolution as a series of stepping stones—he refers to this zigzagging movement as “island-hopping”—and each of the songs on XX represents a moment of significance for the bandmembers and for their devoted fans. The one song that appears twice, “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker,” a definitive tune that dates back to that first album, The Wanderer, closes Disc One of XX, while an extended take recorded during the band’s triumphant 2015 “You Pick the Set Tour” at Providence’s Fete Music Hall climaxes Disc Two.
Roberge breaks down the rationale behind the selection of some of the other tracks he and his bandmates have identified as “springboards to the next moment” in O.A.R.’s narrative. The medley of their own “Night Shift” and Bob Marley & the Wailers’ “Stir It Up,” on which they were joined by reggae legend Junior Marvin, “was a live recording at the 9:30 Club in D.C., ” Roberge recalls. “It combined our music and the music we’ve always loved. We didn’t want to play Bob Marley’s music or reggae in general unless we received some sort education in that music from the people who were there, and Junior bridged that gap—he came out and made it a moment for us.” The album, 2002’s Any Time Now, went gold.
“I Feel Home,” from the same album, “has to be on there because it harkens back to innocent times—our very beginnings,” Roberge explains. “Playing that song with two friends on the trunk of a car in a driveway in Rockville, Maryland, singlehandedly shaped how I saw things and my attitude toward songwriting for years. I thought—and I still do—that songwriting was supposed to be: Write what you know, be honest and invite people into your world. And that’s exactly what we did with that song.”
Fast-forward five years to “War Song.” “In 2007, we went to Iraq and Kuwait to play songs for our troops with the USO,” Roberge explains. “It was a huge moment. When we got back, we wrote this song about the people we had met—a song about the warrior, not the war.” This recording is from Live on Red Rocks.
If there’s a thread that runs through this music—from the band’s humble beginnings to its present hard-earned status, it’s affirmation and uplift. This expansive humanistic impulse, which remains a central aspect of the band’s appeal to its legion of fans, “comes from a few different places,” Roberge notes.
“In the beginning, I hadn’t really done anything yet except dream about this magical place where we could all follow these ideals and be awesome. Then you go a little bit further into the career, and you’re still really feeling that your goal is to lift people up, but you start to do it out of frustration—that things aren’t the way you thought they were or could be. When you get to that point, you have to scream even louder to make a difference.
“Later on, when you find yourself backed up against the wall, and that’s when the real test comes. That was when we really began to connect as a group, and we became aligned with a sort of philosophy of human movement. We just stay honest and try to bring people up. Because we fall just as often as everybody else, and sometimes I have to coach myself to keep my chin up. I just transfer that inner dialogue into the music.”
In a sense, then, every O.A.R. show is a communal celebration in which Roberge and his bandmates preside over a town hall meeting of their constituents. It’s a unifying, reassuring and ultimately ecstatic experience, for the bandmembers as well as the enrapt faces in the crowd spread out in front of them.
“It feels therapeutic,” Roberge says. “I feel like I am in complete control of my life for those two or three hours. I’m riding this rollercoaster up and down through each song, expressing what I’m thinking, feeling and living—and everybody else is experiencing the same thing. So we’re all in it together for the duration of the show. When it’s over, everybody feels better. That’s what happens every single night. I never go into a show thinking I have to do this. I always think, I get to do this.”
This communal process of therapy/exorcism/ecstasy animates the songs and performances handpicked by the bandmembers to represent the magical world they first envisioned as teenagers and have inhabited ever since. Some dreams die hard. And some dreams are built to last.
O.A.R.
XX
August 5, 2016

“Every single second is a blessing if you count them all,” sings frontman Matthew Roads. You can hear the sincerity in his voice; the joie de vivre that oozes from everything Tropidelic does is apparent. When they take a stage, their synergy flows member to member—horns blow, knees kicked high and grins are passed from one man to the next. Almost immediately it spreads to the crowd, lifting hands in the air as their feet begin to move and the pulse collectively becomes that of one.

The six-piece band from Cleveland, Ohio may be far from any tropical islands but that doesn't stop them from dishing out an interesting mix of reggae, hip - hop and high energy funk for audiences across the country. Tropidelic has a deep and widespread appreciation for music that can be heard in each note. Some of the members are hip-hop heads, while others are into metal, funk or reggae. But each of these genres lends something to their collective sound. “We pride ourselves in being original in our musicality and personality as a band,” says Roads, “but also in not taking ourselves so seriously that it ruins the fun.”

For their 2017 release, “Heavy is The Head”, Tropidelic carefully vetted what songs made it to the record, and featured songwriting efforts from members James and Darrick. Sound engineer Cary Crichlow, who has worked on the last four releases from the band, returned to get the job done. “Our socio-political views vary as much as our musical tastes and always seep into the music” says Roads. “There’s certainly a lot that needs said, but on this record we tried to be well-rounded and touch on a broad scope of emotions.” The release debuted at #1 on the iTunes reggae charts on November 10, 2017.


These seasoned road dogs can be found spreading their soulful sound across the country in both intimate venues and music festivals, having shared the stage with and supported such acts as 311, Slightly Stoopid, The Dirty Heads, Pepper and The Wailers. Previously, Tropidelic has been featured at Electric Forest, Werk Out Festival, an appearance at Warped Tour, and SXSW. In 2018, the band is focused on headlining tours as well as performing at Reggae Rise Up, Cali Roots and much more. Stay tuned for more from Cleveland's home-grown, Tropidelic.

"God could you throw this dog a bone. Let me turn the corner and be home. I'm tired of being on this road alone." Real lyrics are what Channing Wilson is all about.
From a small town in Northwest Georgia Channing learned about real life American good times and hardships. He's not afraid to tell you about it either. From his songs like "Poor Man's Cocaine" referring to methamphetamines taking over rural America, to songs like "Crazy Over You" which is a throwback love song to the era of Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, Channing's voice along with his lyrics stand alone in a time of mass produced "throwaway" singers and songwriters.
Brought up on the real side of the tracks by two hard working "dirt collar" parents, he had plenty of opportunities to learn real life at an early age. Channing says "I didn't have a musical family. My mother is a pretty good singer, but an even better worker. So, I found music later than most artists." Finding music later for Channing didn't slow down his passion for it. Learning guitar at 17 and starting writing shortly after. "I came across a book of short poems my mother had written before I was born, and after reading them I was so inspired to explore my creative side."
By 25 he had flunked out of college and quit more jobs than he applied for. "I never could accept the idea that I was supposed to work every day for someone else. I expected more than a paycheck. After a friend turned me on to Guy Clark and Steve Earle, I knew 2 things. I never wanted to punch a clock again, and I had to become a better writer and musician." Thats exactly what he did at 26 years old, he started his first band and quickly learned the ropes as a very successful regional act. That venture lasted 6 years until he became a father and knew he had to step up his game if he was going to turn a dream into a way of life.
Selling a fishing boat and a decent guitar collection to finance trips from north Georgia to Nashville every week paid off in October of 2010 he was approached by EMI Music Publishing after playing a Tuesday night showcase called Alabama Line. After meeting with EMI a few times he was offered his first publishing deal. "I didn't know what I had to offer such a big corporate publishing company, but when I looked on the roster and seen Guy Clark I knew I was in." It didn't take long before he was in the room with his teacher. Learning from the master himself. "Just knowing Guy has made me a better man, but getting to share ideas and stories is a dream come true."
Channing got his first cut with a song titled "Living With The Blues." Sony recording artist Tyler Farr cut the song the same way he heard the demo. Acoustic and raw. He even played the guitar track on the upcoming album. He has been writing with some of Nashville's best writers such as Guy Clark, Ashley Monroe, Drake White, Dave Kennedy and more. All the while pursuing artist acknowledgment. When asked if he wanted to be an artist he replied "If you can't tell I'm an artist by listening to my songs, you're not listening."
He has shared bills with so many of his heroes such as Billy Joe Shaver, Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen, Tony Joe White, Chris Knight, Dale Watson, and many more including getting invited to be on the 2012 Country Throwdown Tour.
Channing's love for country music history and future of country music is second to none. "I came to Nashville to make a difference, and I'll always work hard to earn respect from my peers. I owe them that at least. Hell, I've played their songs so many times for free."

www.channingwilson.com
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Born to rock.....will die while rockin' out! Nuff' said.

Straight out of the Sunshine State, Kash'd Out hits the reggae/rock scene with style and ease.

Since 2014, guitarist Jackson Hauserman and Sound Lounge Studios producers Greg Shields and Josh Saldate have been sending out positive energy through catchy, feel-good tunes indicative of their Orlando, Florida roots. Their laid-back coastal sound, fun choruses and pop melodies promote their message of having fun and being good people.

Inspired by music from Slightly Stoopid, New Found Glory and 90's R&B, and experience working with Ballyhoo! and Tribal Seeds at Sound Lounge Studios, Kash’d Out entered the flourishing reggae/rock scene with energy and drive.

Upon completing their self-titled debut EP, the band recruited Joey Brohawn on bass, Marshall Hearne on drums and Nick Gudzan on keys. With the lineup intact, they hit the studio to begin work on their second album.

During that time, front man Greg Shields co-wrote Ballyhoo!'s latest record, “Girls,” and joined them on the Vans Warped Tour 2016. There, he was introduced to Hawaiian reggae/rock legends, Pepper. He waited patiently for the right moment to show the band Kash'd Out's new material in hopes of locking in an offer to sign with their label, LAW Records.

Greg’s efforts paid off. Kash'd Out released their new full-length album, aptly named "The Hookup," on Pepper’s LAW Records on May 26th, 2017 and it debuted at number 2 on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums.

In a review of the album in The Pier, Mike Patti notes, “What struck me the most about The Hookup were the unique, catchy melodies and vocal deliveries found on each song.”

Fresh off of a nationwide tour with Pepper and Less Than Jake, followed by another with Pacific Dub, Kash'd Out doesn’t plan to stop touring anytime soon, making them easy to find on a stage near you this summer!

Visit www.kashdout.com for tour dates, merchandise and music.

Saliva is an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996. Saliva released their self-titled debut album on August 26, 1997, through Rockingchair Records, a record label owned and operated by Mark Yoshida, who recorded and produced the release at his studio, Rockingchair Studios. They were signed to Island Records and went on to release their second studio album Every Six Seconds. Saliva later released their third studio album titled Back into Your System on November 12, 2002 which reached No. 19 on the Billboard 200. Back into Your System launched one of Saliva's most successful songs, "Always", reaching No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Modern Rock Chart.

DJ Logic (born 1972 as Jason Kibler) is an American turntablist active primarily in nu-jazz/acid jazz and with jam bands. Kibler was born and raised in The Bronx. An early interest in hip hop led to his using the turntables, practicing often. Kibler was also interested in funk and jazz music, and began collaborating with various musicians. His own recordings are perhaps best described as contemporary soul jazz with a strong hip hop feel.