-
Game Changer 4:150:00/4:15
MAIN STAGE 7:30p Antigone Rising 6:30p Williams Honor 5:30p Garrison Starr Band 4:30p Edie Carey 3:30p Julia Weldon 2:00p Girls Rising Panel
YOUTH SPOTLIGHT STAGE 4:00p Ondine 3:00p Penelope Constantino 1:00p Sarah Brandt 12:00 Siobhan Esposito |
ANTIGONE RISING BIO
Best known for relentless touring and masterful musicianship, the band played upwards of 280 shows a year in their early days. Whether it was an open mic on a Monday night or a jam packed New York City hometown show, the ladies and their infamous Vanna White (the band's beloved 15 passenger van) eventually blazed a trail straight to arenas alongside The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith.
Founding sisters Cathy and Kristen Henderson have always had the same philosophy. Play better than the boys and make sure the fans feel like part of the family. That philosophy plus writing undeniably catchy songs has allowed this self sustained group to maintain her independence and leave an indelible mark on an industry best known for leaving girl (bands) behind.
In a business riddled with pitfalls, the fans have been the one thing Antigone Rising count on. Their first independent fan funded CD (2000's "Rock Album") raised ten thousand dollars via checks through snail mail before the internet ever kicked into high gear. Their latest fan funded effort (2011's critically acclaimed "23 Red") raised quadruple that number, with fan perks including bowling and kickball with the band, private house concerts and band members making personal happy birthday phone calls. The fans are the lifeblood of Antigone Rising. They've always been the most critical part of the formula.
Those loyal fans and the soaring three-part harmonies are what eventually caught music industry icon Jason Flom's attention. He signed the girls to Warner Music Group's Lava Records in 2004. Shortly thereafter, he finessed a deal with Starbucks Hear Music, and the band's first major label release hit Starbucks shelves on May 11, 2005. The acoustic based live album, "From The Ground Up," included a hit single, "Don't Look Back," co-written with grammy award winning songwriter, Rob Thomas (Matchbox Twenty). A video for the song played in regular rotation on CMT and VH-1 throughout the summer and fall of 2005, and a half hour documentary special about the band aired on VH-1 (Listen Up! Antigone Rising). Appearances on The Today Show and The Tonight Show pushed sales over ten thousand units a week, launching "From The Ground Up" into the top twenty of Billboard's "Heatseekers Chart" well into the winter of that year. Tour dates alongside The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers Band, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and Rob Thomas followed. Jason Flom's departure from Warner Music Group in 2006 left the band's major label future uncertain. Never comfortable leaving their fate in the hand's of others, the ladies left Lava Records on their own terms with an ever growing loyal fanbase strongly intact.
2009 was a year of birth and re-birth for the band, as founding member Kristen Henderson and wife, Sarah, became pregnant simultaneously; giving birth to their son and daughter in February. Longtime friend Nini Camps, having made several guest appearances with the band, officially joined the fold as lead singer and rhythm guitarist. She too gave birth to a son in December. Henderson shifted roles from rhythm guitarist to bass guitarist, mother of twins, and author, landing a book deal with Simon and Schuster. Kristen and Sarah penned a memoir about their family's unique conception, titled "Times Two, Two Women in Love and the Happy Family They Made." The book's success pushed Kristen and Sarah into the spotlight in a way they'd never expected, being tapped by GLAAD as media spokeswomen and becoming vocal advocates in the fight for Marriage Equality. That fight landed the legally married couple on the cover of April 8, 2013's issue of Time Magazine - "Gay Marriage Already Won."
With the band's line up officially cemented as a quartet, and their signature three-part harmonies more intact than ever, Antigone Rising released a live five song EP recorded at their favorite New York City stomping ground, The Bitter End. Simply titled "Live From NYC," the EP was certainly transitional in sound, largely intended to introduce fans to the new songwriting partnership of Henderson and Camps. A little more country than rock n' roll, the songs were becoming less of a personal diary and more a collection of relatable stories. The band's live spontaneous improvisational moments, led by Cathy Henderson's extraordinary lead guitar playing helped push the band's musical landscape beyond that of traditional jam bands.
Released in August, 2011, the full length CD "23 Red," included singles, "Everywhere is Home," "One Foot In" and the ballad "Borrowed Time," inspired by the births of Camps and Ellis-Henderson's babies. Whiskey and Wine Vol 1 and 2 followed as did the advent of GIRLS RISING, the non profit formed by the band to inspire young girls to seek non traditional career paths and to explore their full potential.