Team Stovall at the Hard Rock Cafe March 26, 2010

If you're in Pittsburgh this weekend, check out this huge spring kick-off concert at the Hard Rock Cafe in Station Square. The party goes down Friday, March 26 and doors open at 10pm. Performances on this night include Common Wealth Family, The Peace Project and Team Stovall. Each of these bands can be argued for as the best band in the city, so an opportunity to see all of them together shouldn't be passed up.

Following the performances, DJ Selecta will be on the wheels of steel!

Here's some more info on the high energy line-up:

COMMON WEALTH FAMILY

They are the staple of tomorrows trends, style, sound, and vision. Determined to see their mission through of taking over your media towers and outlets, they are constantly creating new wave music and entertainment in to their line-up and flawless approach.

As COMMON WEALTH FAMILY makes strides through the entertainment industry of their backyards of Pittsburgh, PA, it is obvious that they transfer your mind to other places and leave you with a lasting impression at every Pit Stop. The perfect combination to a city locked on popular music, COMMON WEALTH FAMILY draws energy, vibe, and drive from the likes of a medley of entertainers, not just want you hear on your radio dials or on what you tune in to on your television tube. They reach deep back into the collectors closet of genres of the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's for inspiration and fuse for their influences of electronic, soul, rap, rock, and pop to bleed greatness in songs such as [Rollin' Witta Star] and [Stupid Girl]. R.i. Double, Mose Butch, [gR], and Roscoe Wiki form the COMMON WEALTH FAMILY, The Black Beatles of Beyond, taking to your stages like a bat out the cage, prepared to serve their audiences daily, taking the daily operations of their music as a career, pouring into its existence hourly.

With the dream in sight to take their evolution to the next notch very shortly, COMMON WEALTH FAMILY has 100 plus shows in, countless media plugs, magazines, sponsors, and recognized as the Best Group spoken and voted at 2009 Pittsburgh Hip Hop Awards, speaks volume to their demand for themselves and from
others. COMMON WEALTH FAMILY honors what "Family" means, how "Wealth" is achieved and the "Common" message they want you to receive.

THE PEACE PROJECT

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, THE PEACE PROJECT is arriving fresh and uncharted! The band, launched by lead singer/songwriter and keyboardist Peace Ike, came together in 2009 to create a style that has yet to show its face on the Pittsburgh scene. Having started out as a solo artist for many years, Peace is no stranger to the world of composition and performance. Since 2003, she has been combining graceful keys with “tell it like it is lyrics” about life, love and purpose. Having recently crossed over into full -band mode, THE PEACE PROJECT continues to generate situational and relatable songs with a catchy melody that most listeners can appreciate.

THE PEACE PROJECT combines piano with rhythmic bass, smooth sax and rocking drum beats— creating a rhythmically driven fusion of soul/jazz/R&B and funk. Taking a contemporary approach to music genres that have been stifled and outdated in most recent years, THE PEACE PROJECT introduces Pittsburgh to soul-jazz of the 21st century. Stay tuned for what’s to come from this innovative and fresh new group!

TEAM STOVALL

In 1995, Gene Stovall (then known as GENo JIVE) started a band that mashed up 6 genres of music and lead 11 Pittsburgh based performing artist into Duquesne University's "Battle of the Bands" contest and won 1st prize. That contest was Gene Stovall's first gig as a band leader. It was also the first time that anybody heard Stovall's original music. That was 15 years ago. Stovall has spent most of the last 15 years perfecting the art of band building and event coordination..not to mention penning some great poetry.

You may know Gene Stovall as the front man of Jive Family (Pittsburgh), Eviction Notice (Pittsburgh), The Rhetoric (Chicago), or The AUDIBLE (Erie). In these bands, Stovall performed original compositions and rearranged pop classics such as The Beatles classic "Strawberry Fields Forever", Nirvana's smash hit "Heart Shaped Box", Radiohead's dark rock ballad "Karma Police", and The Talking Head's disturbingly fun "Psycho Killer". Fans of the Stovallian song book always like listening to his dark love ballad "Heaven in the Meantime" and the more upbeat "Thinkin' About The Way You Lay".

Stovall and Urban Kontent Brand released a live album in 2003 called "Gene Stovall: Live at the Shadow Lounge"..it's now a rare collect-able.

Stovall's musical focus, as of late, has been his CONTRAST Music Events. These concerts put Stovall's spin on the music of a particular band. These events started in Erie, PA. at the Docksider Tavern in April 2009 with "Wu Tang Clan vs Nirvana". He is most proud of his work on the music of Earth Wind and Fire with newly formed super group, TEAM STOVALL.

TEAM STOVALL will perform with CWF and The Peace Project Friday, March 26th at the Hard Rock Café. This Pittsburgh All-Star line up includes Gene Stovall (vocals), Andy Bianco (guitar), Justin Bechak (keys), Jeremy McDonald (bass), and James Johnson III (drums). TEAM STOVALL will perform Stovallian originals and some Radiohead remakes/remixes... and some other surprises.

And check out some videos of performces by Gene Stovall:








And while we're on the subject, check out this incredibly dope video from Interval Monday at AVA Lounge. Vocal performers are Dr. Strange K., Gene Stovall, and Lorens Chuno, on keys is Howie Alexander, drums by James Johnson III, and Tony DePaolis on bass: