The Swing Dance is ALWAYS packed! For more information about the Dance and the schedule, please contact Paul Hoke at paul@swingreview.com and visit the Website, linked below.

Come check out Gene's Bluegrass Jam, with Gene, Jimmy Rollins, Charlie McDaniel. Jam will start about 8:30. Come to listen, or come to join in. Either way, it's always a jammin' good time.

You’d have to go back to mid-'70s Skynyrd to find a combo as bracing, brilliant and flat-out hard-rocking as the Drive-By Truckers. Boasting hearts of poets, the livers of Irishmen and the force of an F-5 tornado, the Truckers leave no stage unscathed and no emotion unexamined. The band blasts through hours of majestically gritty Southern rock that’ll make you proud to live below the Mason-Dixon (and perhaps unable to hear anything else for days). With that triple-guitar attack blasting gems from their stunning 2008 return-to-form CD, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, you’ll swear you’re seeing the sweaty, sanctified rebirth of Southern Rock right there on The Handlebar’s stage.

Craig Sorrell Trio brings in the funk. The Spartanburg horn-meister who's usually seen kicking brass with high-octane funk-rockers The Work also cavorts with some big names. The classically trained trumpeter has played with John Mayer, Karl Denson, Derek Trucks Band and George Porter Jr., to name a few; in fact, last time we saw Craig, he was jamming at Warren Haynes' pre-Christmas Jam at the Orange Peel with the likes of Ani DiFranco, George Porter and a few funky meters, as well as Warren and Counting Crows. If you're known by the company you keep, Craig Sorrells keeps some pretty rarified company – and his trio rocks with more sound than you'll find in a power-rocking garage band. Besides, you don't get this kind of New Orleans-infused grease just anywhere; you normally have to go to a Southern-fried diner for lunch to feed that habit.

Culture Prophet's workin' it. After a near-sold-out New Year's Eve gala and after opening for one of the biggest bands ever to perform at The Handlebar (The Roots), the Prophet returns with that trademark indie-electro-funk-rock and a bushel full of danceable DJ tunes. Yes, this party's going to be one Valentine's Eve you won't forget - this ain't your mama's Sweetheart Prom; oh, no, this is get-down, get-up, rock-'til-you drop, red-hot Culture Prophet dance blowOUT. CP’s uber-hip spin-meister Michael serves up tasty dance greats from the ‘70s and ‘80s -- before, during and after the live tunes that showcase Culture Prophet’s sonic stylings and angular rock; the three-band bill also features DJ Wash and Greenville's post-prog indie rockers East North.

You read that right. Grace Church holds a Sunday morning service at The Handlebar at 10 a.m. each week. The scene is casual, with loud, live worship music and relevant teaching from the Bible.

Lucero are many things. They’re a band that doesn’t have fans as much as they have diehards who come to every show and scream the words to every song from their "classic" albums like "Tennessee" and "That Much Further West" - and celebrate their new release, “1372 Overton Park.” They’re road warriors who live in their van and have had their touring experiences chronicled on the "Dreaming In America" DVD. They’re a band that has been tagged as "alt-country" and "punk country." They’re a band that's written plenty of songs about girls and guitars, and about life, love, drinking, and life, love, and drinking on the road. On stage, Lucero’s something simpler: a true American rock 'n' roll band. Their songs mingle Southern rock, pop and heart-wrenching balladry, all soaked with twangy riffs and whiskey-hued vocals. Their layered songs resonate with lyrics that tug at your heart and melodies that take up real estate in your brain for days.

Camp Opportunity’s annual Spelling Bee is one of the highlights of The Handlebar calendar, if only because of its wacky, off-the-wall fun – far from our usual musical offerings and filled with zaniness you can’t find anywhere else. WYFF-TV's Gordon Dill is the evening's emcee. To top it off, the event benefit Camps Opportunity, for Greenville County children who are victims of abuse and neglect. Funds raised at the Bee enable the camp to take these kids to a week of residential summer camp. If you participated last year, you know how fun the event is (and has been), and if you haven’t, well, the WORD is that Camp Opportunity’s fund-raiser is the Bee’s Knees. And that’s the trooth.

Southern-rock ax slinger Tinsley Ellis returns to kick off the first night of the biggest two-night blues festival in Greenville. His latest album, Speak No Evil, says it all -- his ninth Alligator Records release has been nominated for The Blues Foundation's 2010 Rock Blues Album of the Year. "Tinsley Ellis isn't about to make concessions to the passage of time," says one reviewer. "Instead, he just digs in deeper, grabs the fretboard more tightly and knocks the ball out of the park." Long a Handlebar staple, Tinsley sings with passion and plays an incendiary brand of blues-soaked rock that Rolling Stone has compared to Beck and Clapton. Following in the tradition of Deep South musical heroes Duane Allman, Freddie King, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes, Tinsley’s fretwork fireworks evoke melodic and rhythmic experimentation. Atlanta Magazine declared Tinsley "the most significant blues artist to emerge from Atlanta since Blind Willie McTell."

One of Greenville's all-time favorite party bands, Ninth Row, warms up your winter like a trip to the beach. From funk to rock to R&B and good, old-fashioned Carolina beach music, the horn-driven band gets people on their feet, shagging the night away. Ninth Row is one of only a handful of area bands that consistently sell out The Handlebar, a testimony to a decade (or more) of popularity that only grows. After Bruce Springsteen invited the Swingin' Medallions onstage at the Bi-Lo Center, what the Boss calls "fraternity rock" -- and what we've always known as beach music -- has enjoyed another resurgence. One of Ninth Row's musicians even performed with the Swingin' Medallions. So, if it's good enough for Bruce, it's ... party time. Special guest Wanda Johnson has toured Europe, sings a sultry blues that'll make your head spin as she lights up the stage with undeliable charm and charisma.

The G**n Gallows, who don’t actually use an asterisks in their name, are a furiously unique (and uniquely furious) combination of twanged-out cowpunk, rockabilly, grunge and pure attitude. Their blazing, careening sludge-rock conjures up a world of smoke-stained flophouse walls, small-town jailhouses, too much booze and too little sleep; it’s an adrenaline-fueled rush of jagged-edge guitars, heavyweight-title-bout drums and the sleaziest vocals this side of Southern Culture on the Skids. In other words, it’s perfect rock n’ roll.

In the 15 years of Grammy Award-winning artists who’ve played The Handlebar -- more than three dozen of them -- all are world-class, some are friends, and only one is Dave Alvin. Dave has been a Handlebar friend since the beginning - from the old Mill days (when he went looking for Cootie Stark) to the day The Handlebar reopened on Stone Avenue(without our liquor license). The ex-Blaster has won a Grammy, rocked the house with the Guilty Men, produced a bunch of records - and now he’s stripping down. Which would sound crass in the company of vocalist Christy McWilson and Cindy Cashdollar, but Dave fans know them as two of the Guilty Women on his eponymous new acoustic CD. While Christy’s known for the Picketts, Cindy’s Dobro and pedal steel won FIVE Grammies and has worked with: Rod Stewart, Van Morrison, Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan, Asleep at the Wheel, Garrison Keillor, Jorma Kaukonen, Leon Redbone and Daniel Lanois. This show may be “acoustic,” but Dave and the two must-C’s will be *electrifying.*

Wielding their unique "afro-cowboy-ninja-surf" music, influenced by the sounds of Mali in western Africa, Toubab Krewe has been making waves throughout the country since their formation, attracting enthusiastic crowds everywhere from Bonnaroo to New York City. Their energetic live shows and 2006 self-titled debut album have earned the band praise from such noteworthy publications as the New York Times, Global Rhythm Magazine and Afropop Worldwide. Toubab Krewe have turned a love affair with west African music into a serious project; they have lived the music, learned from the masters and brought their own American influences to the beautiful, traditional sounds. The result is a funky, hard-hitting live show that expertly fuses elements of rock and funk with Mali's "desert blues."

The Bottle Rockets “return to form,” says Rolling Stone, “as torchbearers for smart Southern-style rock” with their new CD, Lean Forward. One of the most steel-solid bands among the greatest of roots-rock trailblazers, the St. Louis, Mo., outfit has reviewers going nuts over their new release. If the Rockets, long regarded and adored as THE workingman's rock band, have recorded a “sing-along, bash-it-out classic for another decade (Washington Post),” then you can’t miss their live show: cascading Crazy Horse squall, scruffy romantic, dirty-fingernail rock of the Midwest and soulful vibes that ooze from the cement blocks in Memphis studios. The first half of this house-rockin’ show is none other than Michelle Malone. Back on The Handlebar stage, Michelle rips with a high-spirited, stripped down blend of rootsy acoustic slide, gritty electric blues and explosive vocals; incisive rock songs with just enough blues to make her medicine go down so sweet.

The Pietasters’ first new album in five years, All Day, reaches back to the '60s, as the eight-piece band re-imagines 14 songs as ska/soul/reggae artifacts from Motown; even the CD's cover depicts little Motown covers for each track. The horn-driven band explodes with high-energy ska, rock-reggae and a '60s British sound (whence their name: a British term for folks who AREN'T the Biggest Losers). Formed in Blacksburg, Va., in 1990, the band toured with the Violent Femmes, No Doubt and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, then Rancid’s Tim Armstrong signed them to Hellcat/Epitaph, where they recorded their first two albums. Next, they shared bills with NOFX and Less Than Jake on the ’98 and ’99 Warped Tours, and followed with a stateside run with punk legend Joe Strummer. Three years later, they backed up James Brown for one surreal evening. The eight-piece band's addictive combo of punk energy, pop accessibility, reggae-skank and ska grooves has created a legend.

One of them plays with the Black Crowes. Their band was featured in the Samuel L. Jackson movie, Black Snake Moan. They’ve earned Grammy nominations. And North Mississippi Allstars have shared stages with everybody, including blues giant R.L. Burnside, who helped nurture their raw, gritty north Mississippi blues sound. Small wonder that Luther and Cody Dickinson would become fixtures in the music business; their late father, Jim, was one of Memphis’s most renowned producers, working with everyone from the Stones to Dylan to The Replacements. While their influences flow from the likes of Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and Mississippi Fred McDowell, the band ventures into hardcore punk, British rock, even acts you’d hear on MTV – all absorbed into their own sound.

Antiseen has paid their dues. They’ve paid YOUR dues. Shedding sweat, tears and their own blood through thousands of shows, Antiseen has gone more than the distance, without any major-label support, to build a massive following with their abrasive sound, controversial lyrics and confrontational live shows. And then they’ve got their records--lots of them. Between full-length albums, EP’s and 7-inch singles, Antiseen has nearly SIXTY releases to their credit since 1983. Their list of famous admirers is almost as long; Antiseen’s has drawn praise from Hank III, GG Allin, Phil Anselmo, Trent Reznor, Jello Biafra, Mudhoney, Smashing Pumpkins, Supersuckers, Nirvana, Dwarves, Nashville Pussy, even the late, great Joey Ramone. In fact, they inspired a fifty-song tribute album, Everybody Loves Antiseen, headlined by Hank III and released in 2006. Forget punk, thrash, emo, or rockabilly--Antiseen’s full-throttled energy without a sub-genre safety net.

This is it, folks. Gorilla's Battle of the Bands Finals, featuring: Light In The Dark; Afterburn; Red X; Kellee; Schmeek; Beside the Fallen; Evan's Dilemma; Dan Wilson Band; Deritas; and Order By Corruption. Folks know that Gorilla Productions puts on the biggest band-battles around. And this Battle of the Bands will be the biggest ever, showcasing the biggest and best bands in the region. What a lot of folks don't know is that a few bands have exploited their exposure in these Gorilla battles, gained tremendous experience, played in front of ginormous crowds and have taken advantage of the opportunity to gain more fans and more gigs - many at The Handlebar!

Even Stephen King (yes, THAT Stephen King) says, “God bless Chuck Prophet.” Such luminaries and icons line up in support of the edgy acoustic-rocker songwriter whose music career began much like the careers of others; he was a kid with a guitar. By the time he was 15 he could do more with it than most would be able to do in a lifetime. While still a teenager, he joined the seminal cosmic-country rock band Green on Red, and spent eight years playing and touring with them. His fans within the music community are vast. Lucinda Williams, after hearing his 1999 release No Other Love, asked, "Can I take him on tour with me?" He went on that tour, playing to audiences 10,000 strong. He's written songs with Dan Penn and Alejandro Escovedo, produced the most recent Kelly Willis record and has had his songs recorded by Solomon Burke, Kim Richey, Jim Dickinson and even Heart. As Stephen King declares of Prophet's music, "...lovely, incantatory and mysterious."

While nearly every modern-day rock band is affected by rock’s iconic songwriters, few bands aspire to rise above fad-status and achieve something great. Sherwood is one of those few. With a diverse selection of influences that include The Beach Boys and Jimmy Eat World, the northern California band, whose new album, QU, is available at Target, offers sharp lyrics, indie charm and a nod to the great songwriters of decades past, drawing on classic-rock standards such as Pet Sounds and Revolver to create engaging instrumentation and transform personal experiences into inspired lyrics. Be sure to arrive early for the openers, including Hot Chelle Rae, who’ve announced themselves as a force to be reckoned with on their debut album Lovesick Electric. How can you argue with bold, swaggering vocals, monster singalong choruses, crunching rock guitar, and a propulsive rhythm? Lovesick Electric brims with the confidence and energy that only a group of musicians with serious chops can deliver.

The Upstate's favorite-ist, wackiest, chicken-th'ow-in-est, toe-suckin' geek-rockin'est red-neckin' partyin'-est band EVER returns to The Handlebar for Southern-fried rock most fowl. That's right, Southern Culture on the Skids comes back with another heapin' helpin' of trailer park surf rock turned up to dance-splittin' volumes to get your puddin' shaking. (Don't forget to get your Banana Puddin' Ringtone!) Their live shows feature the sartorial distress of Rick Miller, who blasts you with his Dick Dale-meets-Buck Owens-meets-Junior Kimbrough guitar wizardry; the rock-solid bass of the adorable Miss Mary Huff; and the nifty dead-on percussion of Mr. Dave. As always, watch out for flying fried chicken!

The Psychedelic Saturday Series kicks off with Palmetto Music Co.'s nod to 1965. If you missed Palmetto's Woodstock Anniversary concert in August, you missed one of the liveliest concert events of the year. As in past fund-raisers that have featured upwards of two dozen bands -- each one playing a song from, say, Bob Dylan or Johnny Cash or Rolling Stones -- THIS one's going to feature more than a dozen local artists, each contributing a hit from one year smack in the middle of the '60s. Songs from Elvis, The Yardbirds, Beatles, Supremes and more, performed by artists who will make each song their own, create a frenetic and musically rich experience. And it's all for a good cause, too: Musicians donate their time and talent, and Palmetto Drum Co.'s going to send the proceeds to Haitian earthquake relief.

Here at The Handlebar, we love to brag about the incredible musicians who’ve rocked our Listening Room. But sometimes we know it’s best to just let them speak for themselves. Here’s what Vive Le Vox has to say about their music: “Viva Le Vox is a roots rock n roll band headquartered in Southern Florida. We've been described as a ‘full bodied religious experience’ and a ‘hillbilly zombie circus.’ Joe Buck of Hank III fame says we sound like ‘a New Orleans death march.’ The jury is still out on exactly what type of music we play, but you can damn well bet yer sweet ass our live show will make you feel something in places you didn't even know you had. So look for us in a town near you, check out our songs on CD baby and iTunes, and above all, as our recently deceased homeless friend Panama taught us, ‘Keep the rock in yer hearts.’”

Just as there's no mistaking his smooth lyrical delivery and searing hip-hop prose, there's no denying the incredible force that is Kool Keith. Whether as a member of the Ultramagnetic MCs, or as his renegade rap personas, Dr.Octagon and Dr. Dooom, Keith is an innovative lyricist whose erudite raps stretch the envelope to the limit. Kool Keith first emerged as part of the Ultramagnetic MCs back in 1987. At a time when rap was making the transition from B-Boy bragging to a more aggressive, politicized stance, the group were hailed as lyrical innovators. After the Ultramagnetics' demise, Kool Keith re-emerged helming various hip-hop groupings with artists like DJ Q-Bert. Through his various releases Keith has gone from the playful to the downright carnal, releasing classics like Kool Keith's Sex Style and First Come, First Served. A true renaissance man of hip-hop, and the ultimate “rapper’s rapper,” Kool Keith is one of the most legendary figures on the rap landscape.

Get on board the funk train to your happy place - Zach Deputy is coming to a station near you. Part human beat box, part guitar genius and part soul-searing singer/songwriter, Zach makes your flip-flops flap with his pocket full of original tunes. You never knew six strings, a couple of microphones and a big white fella, along with his deep-grooved percussionist, could bring so much positive energy to the table of live. Backed by years of hard work, a stage presence you can't teach and his musical wingman Paul Kearns, Zach has created a style that transcends genre, sort of the Keller Williams of the Islands. Part reggae, part blues, a smidge of gospel and a dash of bluegrass keep his audiences grooving through a night of "What's gonna happen next?" Zach's a master of making hips sway and troubles melt away, an entertainer who puts the fun in funky and a Teddy Bear jammer whose crowds grow like the sounds roll on your favorite beach.

Boasting a lineup of former Hedsnap, Fluid and Phungusamungus members, Kelen Heller has all the makings of a regional supergroup. Their ultra-heavy, powerful sound is poised to flatten all in the music world who would stand in their way. Their current single, “Redefine,” is crushing the competition on the Upstate’s premier new-rock radio station, 93.3 WTPT The Planet. They’ve shared the stage with such giants as Rob Zombie, hed(pe), Mushroomhead, Saliva, Afroman, Fear Factory, Kittie and Shinedown, and their new, self-produced EP is turning major-label heads all over the country. And don’t miss Atlanta’s own Dear Enemy, another supergroup formed from the ashes of some of Georgia’s most popular bands, while Nothing Saints turns in a head-turning performance. For this powerhouse quintet, the sky is the limit to what they can do with their hard-hitting riffs, addictive vocal melodies and a stunning live show.

Once upon a time (long before there was a Jack Johnson) The Handlebar was working to lure G. Love to the Upstate. Now, finally, G. Love & Special Sauce arrive with their beloved stew of hip-hop, R&B, and laid-back blues. One of rock’s favorite indie bands since their self-titled debut in 1994, G. Love became a lynchpin of the ’90s alternative explosion. His addictive combo of laid-back soul, upbeat funk and sunny jazz moved and grooved fans, while he shared stages with such modern-rock icons as Blues Traveler, the Dave Matthews Band and The Black Crowes. G. Love spins quirky lyrics and mellow guitar licks over the JB’s/Parliament-style funk workouts of Special Sauce and casts a sun-drenched spell with classics like “Cold Beverage,” “Rodeo Clowns” and “Stepping Stones.” New York’s Giant Panda Dub Guerilla Squad adds a heavy dose of relentless reggae to the show, a JamBase favorite. Their thumping roots-reggae and experimental dub are THE ideal get-on-your feet warm-up for G. Love.

Singer/songwriter Amos Lee grew up in Philadelphia and developed a love of both the rockers of the '70s and his own city's soul stars. He developed a style that borrowed from both -- and threw in some modern folk music for good measure. Taking his inspiration from soul greats like Stevie Wonder and Bill Withers, as well as folk legends like John Prine and Dave Van Ronk, Amos Lee infuses his music with a spirit and presence rooted in American tradition. Amos delivers a unique brand of folk-soul music that aims to unite, uplift, and inspire. The "folk" side is reflected in his nimble acoustic guitar playing and the intimacy of his live performances. The "soul" strain comes through in the engaging song-poetry of his lyrics, with Lee using his deceptively easygoing voice to convey raw, unedited emotion

The cream of the studio musicians from Atlanta, the Atlanta Rhythm Section (actually from nearby Doraville, Ga.) came together in 1970 after working at a Roy Orbison recording session. After touring hard for the first half of the decade, ARS struck paydirt starting in 1977, racking up three gold albums, one platinum album and crashing the pop charts with Top 10 classics like "So Into You," "Imaginary Lover," and "Spooky." The ARS sound, an addictive blend of smooth pop melodies and Southern-rock muscle, has propelled the band through a four-decade career, keeping their impeccable musicianship onstage and in the spotlight.

This show wasn't even posted to our Website before tickets started flying out the door. After all, this show marks Ingrid Michaelson's third time (the charm!) at The Handlebar, while Mat Kearney finally arrives. When you record the type of smart, catchy songs Mat Kearney does, you spend a lot of time on the road. After his 2006 album, Nothing Left to Lose, throttled up the charts, Kearney found himself opening for the likes of John Mayer, Sheryl Crow and The Fray. Kearney’s songs are open-hearted tales of self-discovery, a chronicle of the people he met and missed during his journey, laced with hooks and rhythms that sneak up on you. Ingrid, with her piano-fueled songwriting and witty wordplay, rockets the tradition of the female singer/songwriter into the 21st century. With influences ranging from Fiona Apple to Coldplay, Ingrid serves up infectious melodies, smooth vocals and smart lyrics, a fusion of indie pop, folk and alternative for a beautiful sound that nudges at the soul.

Some artists have great vision, some great voices, and some a great story. Danielle Howle’s remarkable musical gift embodies all three. Stylistically, she runs the gamut: jazz, punk, rock, soul, jam, folk, country; and her spirit embraces the truest sense of what we have come to know as Americana. Her voice is a stunning instrument that tugs at your heart strings, making you want to laugh, cry and cut a rug all at the same time. Mac Leaphart is a dream combo of Gram Parsons soul and Sticky Fingers-era Rolling Stones. He’s a kind of Old South Warren Zevon; an artist who writes wickedly funny tunes, and he uses his raspy tenor to sell these hardscrabble scenes to the max. Rounding out this amazing trio of performers is Josh Roberts, whose sprawling, rough-hewn lyrical portraits conjure the cinemascopic feel of Dylan in the '60s or Springsteen in the '70s.

Unknown Hinson and his ass-kickin' psychobilly carney-rock crack some Easter eggs on Good (Bad & Ugly) Friday. And if this show don't sell out, well, hell . . . we'd be shore surprised. The Charlotte-based Drac-surf-country-western guit-freak has been on tour with Billy Bob Thornton--when he's not too busy voicing Early Cuyler for the Squidbillies. Not just for trailer-park also-rans and white-trash wannabes, Unknown's Live 'n' Undead these days. He's got big-tihm fans, too. Marty Stuart introduced him as his illegitimate half-brother; he's toured with Hank III and Reverend Horton Heat; Tom Petty once went backstage in Hollywood to ask how he gets his "sound," and the Rolling Stones invited him to a soundcheck session for their Charlotte show.

Sometimes, all you have to do is mention the artists -- and the tickets are history. No hard-sell here. These two artists between them have sold 3.5 million albums, in a decade where that's no easy task. They’ve had two of the biggest rock radio hits of the last 10 years, with Rehab’s “Bartender Song (Sittin’ At A Bar)" and Uncle Kracker’s “Follow Me.” They’ve both perfected a smooth, yet high-energy, modern-edged rock sound that fuses the best elements of hip-hop, country and alternative music, spiked with instantly addictive melodies and singalong lyrics. They’ve got some serious touring and recording pedigree as well. Rehab’s been on the VANS Warped tour and recorded with Cody Chestnutt, Cee-Lo and Goodie Mob, and, oh yeah, you may have heard of Uncle Kracker’s boss, a worldwide superstar known as Kid Rock. If there’s ever been a surefire party-starter of a show in our Listening Room, it’s this one.

Like Florida’s state flower, the orange blossom, JJ Grey’s songs are fascinating, beautiful and complex. And they’re products of the rich, fertile and ancient soil of the Sunshine State. Grey comes from a long tradition of Southern storytellers and, like the best of them, he fills his songs with details that are at once personal, political and universal. Mofro’s music blends front-porch blues with the best soul and funk traditions of the South, and whether it is a narrative passed down from his grandmother or the tribulations of a childhood friend, Grey’s ear for detail rings true. His voice delivers unflinching strength that makes the personal universal and paints a vivid portrait of time and place. Like his songs, the rich, soulful music Grey makes with Mofro is forceful and commanding, wise and experienced beyond the band’s years.

Georgia native Tim Wilson's distinctive baritone twang has an edge of roughness -- like most of his comedy material. Wilson’s material covers everything from blind dates and cell phones to annoying relatives such as his Uncle "B.S." He dissects his topics with a meticulous eye for detail and a skewed worldview. Wilson is best known for such ditties as "The Jeff Gordon Song," "Trailer Love" and "First Baptist Bar & Grill." Since inking a deal with Capitol Records in 1998, he's released more than a half-dozen albums, including "The Real Twang Thang," "I Should've Married My Father-in-Law," "Hillbilly Homeboy," "It’s a Sorry World" and "Church League Softball Fist Fight." Along with being a regular guest on nationally syndicated radio shows, including John Boy & Billy and The Bob & Tom Show, Wilson also has appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and Grace Under Fire. Opener Chris DuBail is well-known on the national comedy circuit for his blend of stand-up, physical comedy, and dead-on impressions.

It's always a blast to watch a band go from a few fans to an all-time record of THREE consecutive sold-out Handlebar shows to an arena. Littlejohn Coliseum and TigerPaw Productions (with a little help from The Handlebar) welcomes NEEDTOBREATHE in their first major "hometown" arena show. Celebrating the release of their anthemic album, The Outsiders, the band features members who are hardly that: Brothers Bear and Bo Rinehart went to school in the Upstate. Bo graduated from Clemson, where he strapped on his rock guitar, and Bear was an award-winning wide receiver at Furman. Now with their Atlantic/Lava release (with three producers who helped with Tom Petty, Shinedown, John Mayer and Dave Matthews Band), NEEDTOBREATHE takes things up a notch with their Coldplay-meets-U2-meets-Train arena rock. We couldn't be more thrilled to watch these guys explode. MEET AT THE HANDLEBAR FOR FREE PARKING and for carpool and caravan opportunities to Littlejohn!

Blues, reggae, Southern rock -- a genre-defying pair of Greenville’s good-time bands create Music on a Mission, a benefit for Bridges to a Brighter Future. The Bridges program at Furman University exposes low-income high school students to the benefits and possibilities of higher education. Ovations: Music on a Mission raises funds for the Bridges program to promote higher education to these kids . . . and features two of the Upstate’s most popular bands: True Blues, Greenville’s own house band, with their distinctive blend of Southern rock, blues and juke-joint rock; and Mystic Vibrations, a gift to South Carolina’s roots-reggae sound. A long night of music awaits concertgoers whose ticket purchases go to help kids see a brighter future.

For 15 years, since the very beginning of The Handlebar, the northern Virginia quartet Eddie From Ohio has become one of the most all-time requested bands. With their folk-rock sound, killer percussion and dead-on, jaw-dropping four-part harmonies that give them the distinct sound (think Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young meet Jewel meets the Grateful Dead) that has made EFO their own success story. With one of their nine CDs actually recorded live at The Handlebar when the venue was located at the old mill ("Portable EFO Show"), Robbie, Mike, Eddie and Julie have become as much a part of The Handlebar family as the fans who love them. EFO doesn't tour much these days, so it's a rare opportunity to see longtime friends and powerfully talented musicians . . . come home.