The Steam Powered Hour

Things have been quiet for a piece, but there’s some stretching and yawning going on…...

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:25:00 -0400

Things have been quiet for a piece, but there’s some stretching and yawning going on… might even make some coffee soon. For one thing, Matt will be joining Ed Helms and our good buddies, The Lonesome Trio on May 4th for The Whiskey Sour Hour. (Is it our long lost twin?) It’s part of a whole big fat weekend of bluegrass and comedy at the most unlikeliest of places: http://www.thebluegrasssituation.com/festival/

matthewdiffee: Rejected album cover illustration for my friend...

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:51:12 -0400

matthewdiffee:

Rejected album cover illustration for my friend Noam Pikelny’s upcoming banjo album.

Me: So? What do you think?

Noam: Why am I picking my nose?

Me: You’re a bluegrass musician.

Noam: Good point… Hm. I don’t know. To be honest with you, I don’t really think it looks much like me.

Me: Why not?

Noam: I’m not left-handed.

Photo

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:23:41 -0400

All the Musical Performances from our 2011 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Competition

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

BATTLE WINNERS:

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 13:58:43 -0500

The theater was packed to the gills to see twelve amazing bands compete in our Second Battle of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Bands. Congratulations to our winners…

Audience Choice: The Defibulators

3rd Place: The Gold Top County Ramblers

2nd Place: Do it to Julia

1st place: The Dive Bar Dukes

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:54:00 -0500

Get your tickets to the Battle of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Bands right now at www.theatre80.net or call 212-388-0388.

The Bands that will Battle!

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:05:00 -0500

Thanks to all the bluegrassish bands who submitted. We had an amazing group to choose from. Here’s the list of twelve selected bands in no particular order:

The Defibulators

The 2^nd Avenue Mountain Boys

Bobtown

Alex Battles & The Whiskey rebellion

Gangstagrass

The Dive Bar Dukes

McMule

Michaela Anne Band

Do It To Julia

The Young Spokes

Frankenpine

Gold Top County Ramblers

FREE STUFF. HOT DIGGETY!

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:06:00 -0500

Very excited to announce that our friends at Dunlop Guitars are sending over a bunch of pickin’ goodies to give to all our competing bands!

check them out at www.jimdunlop.com

As a closet banjo picker, I’ve tried for years to get The...

Thu, 13 May 2010 15:20:28 -0400

As a closet banjo picker, I’ve tried for years to get The New Yorker to bite on a banjo gag. This one finally made it in.

—Matt

Presenting our first ever Steam Powered Hour promo spot! In...

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:59:00 -0400

Presenting our first ever Steam Powered Hour promo spot!

In April, The Steam Powered Hour welcomes back Citigrass, winners of this year’s Battle of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Bands. Also, more bluegrass goodness with Thomas Bailey and the Aristocrats, a story by The New Yorker staff writer Mark Singer and cartoonist Zachary Kanin. Plus, illustrator Lara Tomlin. Hosted as usual by New Yorker cartoonist Matt Diffee.

April 11th, 8pm
Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street Between Ave B & C
New York City

Tickets are $15 on the night or $10 in advance at www.nuyorican.org

Check out the invite on Facebook, too, if you like.