On Saturday, April 23 the Bernaroo Music & Arts Festival is proud to present the return of Bernaroo alumni Matt Phillips & The Philharmonic to New Bern. Matt Phillips & The Philharmonic will be bringing their jazzy and soulful take on folk-rock to Mickey Milligan’s Billiards and will be joined by local favorites Merchant’s Road. The show starts at 9pm with a performance from Merchant’s Road and Matt Phillips will start around 10:30pm.
Matt Phillips & The Philharmonic are a band that’s been swiftly picking up steam thanks to their raw, unfiltered sound that oozes with passion. Phillips’ lyrics are brimming with emotion and intelligence and his instrumentation is steeped in blues/soul tradition but flourished with saxophone, keys, bass and drums. Their music sits somewhere between R&B and folk but is filled with character and vivacity that makes these songs as emotional as they are excitable.
Openers in Merchant’s Road have been garnering quite the local following as well. Merchant’s Road provides a modern take on old folk standards and filters them through a big-band style. Often seen with a slew of rotating musicians on-stage, Merchant’s Road lifts the veil often seen with on-stage acts and encourages sing alongs and crowd participation with each new track. Combining the cheerful tunes of Merchant’s Road and the soul-shaking jams of Matt Phillips & The Philharmonic, this bill makes for an incredible night of local music with a little bit of something for everyone.
Submitted by: Bernaroo Music and Arts Festival