Neofunkadlicfolkpoptwangrock
Award-winning Philadelphia native Christine Havrilla brings her “well-built, catchy, smart tunes” (Upstage Magazine) to audiences everywhere, touring solo and also with the support of her band, Gypsy Fuzz. A new EP was released in the Spring of 2024 called NONE OF YOU! This EP includes the bluesy rocker “None of You”, positive catchy pop-rock “Today, Today”, darker rocking “Fade”, Americana “Broken Wing’, and a waltzing ballad “Just Do You”! Recorded at Cambridge Sound Studios, this EP is sure to leave a lasting impression! Christine utilizes the soft gritty texture of her vocals to express warmth and honesty listeners quickly embrace as well as her aggressive, raw, trash-style guitar playing and looping. WXPN’s The Key raves, “Rock and roll singer-songwriter Christine Havrilla has been a local favorite since the 90s, and her high-energy music is kindred is spirit with Sheryl Crow, Grace Potter, Brandi Carlile, and Lucinda Williams!”
The Journal of Roots Music listed Christine in the article named “Through the Lens: Women Leading the Way in Roots Music”(November 2021) What’s Up Magazine exclaims, “Christine breaks out the gasoline and sets fire to the typical Roots/Folk genre with blazing guitars.” Lisa Bryant of Delmarva Life WBOC declares, “As soon as they started playing, we knew this was a group with incredible talent, a group that would “wow” anyone who was lucky enough to hear them perform! Ed Kiggins of inD Round raves, “Christine is one of the hardest working women in
music. With her child prodigy-come-of-age guitar virtuosity, a supremely passionate and emotive voice, and an arsenal of wonder-songs that have endeared her to a loving and devoted audience, she is in a class all of her own…we simply call her brilliant!”
With the Covid difficulties that affected all musicians starting in 2020, Christine pressed on with many virtual opportunities which included WHYY picking up the band’s Covid quarantine video of “Desire” for their House Concert Series 2020 while WXPN’s The Key (August 2020) raved about the same video saying, “The song is a jagged rocker reminiscent of Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt!” Christine was also featured on WDIY’s Parlor Sessions, Sellersville Theatre’s Soundbooth Sessions, Wawa’s Welcome America 4th of July Event, and World Café Live’s House Concerts to name a few. The Dover Post (2019) exclaims, “Christine Havrilla is a tough-as-nails front-woman with a serious habit of rocking a plethora of stages." Nor’easter Magazine states, “Christine Havrilla is a creative, talented powerhouse wrapped up in one complete package!” Steel Notes Magazine says, “This ambitious Philly native manifests her talent in certain ways that allows her to create eclectic music which will grab your heart and leave a lasting memory.” The Washington Post writes, “[Havrilla’s] songs are intelligent and moving, the arrangements are incisive and colorful, and, best of all, Havrilla consistently comes across as a confident and seasoned performer.”
Christine has also shared the stage with an eclectic list of artists like Brandi Carlile, KT Tunstall, Shawn Colvin, Chely Wright, Howard Jones, Jeffrey Gaines, America, Trigger Hippy, Jill Sobule, Janis Ian, Patty Larkin, Karla Bonoff, Christopher Cross, Susan Werner, Vienna Teng, Antigone Rising, Dave Mason, & Davy Knowels. Listed with Takamine Guitar’s Worldwide Artists, Clayton Picks, and Telefunken Microphones, she was also a featured Artist for American Musical Supply’s Singer/Songwriter Month, nominated for About.com & Reader’s Choice Awards, and awarded the 2010 Garden State Film Festival’s “Best Contemporary Country Song” for “Blinders”. Christine’s song “Daffodil” was listed as #40 in the Top 50 Songs by Delaware Artists Since the Dawn of Rock ‘n’ Roll by Delaware Today Magazine (Nov 2021) plus her song “Hail” won the “2019 Homey Awards” for “Best Country/Americana Song! Christine performed at Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Michaela Majoun, former DJ from 88.5 WXPN, applauds her “terrific, big sound”, while Philadelphia Magazine states, “She rocks!”
Christine, a self-taught musician since the age of 5, Christine has 17 studio recordings under her belt, as more new and old music is being prepared for her next “Lost Songs” album. Christine continues to write, play bass for Mama’s Black Sheep, and work on an electronic-acoustic side-project with Colleen Clark called ALLIR MUSIC!
Jessica Smucker & The End of Everything
Jessica Smucker believes that the best way to change the world is to channel our pain into connection. Her songs have a way of reaching deeply into people’s souls and inviting the kind of reflection that feels both reassuring and unsettling. Wrapped in catchy melodies, her lyrics appear simple and relatable on the surface, but each listen will uncover more hidden pockets of nuance. She’s the kind of writer and performer who can lull a noisy room into a hush with a single line.
Based in Lancaster, PA, Jessica was raised in the Mennonite faith tradition by a family full of storytellers, activists, adventurers, and pranksters. Her discography includes 3 full-length albums, 2 EPs, and a handful of singles, with more recorded music coming soon. She performs regularly throughout the U.S., and curates/hosts an in-the-round concert series in her hometown, called Songwriters in the Raw. Her band, The End of Everything, consists of Mike Bitts and Steve Brown (The Innocence Mission), as well as James Lipka (Tractor Jerry, Ogham Stones).
