Howling Wolf Family Folk Festival, featuring Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams

Join us in celebrating our 10th year of music on September 18th as we host Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, as well as Hope Machine and Matt Turk & The Hobo Caravan at The 2nd Annual Howling Wolf Family Folk Festival at Irvington Town Hall, to benefit The Wolf Conservation Center of South Salem, NY!

“. . .simply one of the finest American bands” – All Music Guide

"They may term it 'Hillbilly-Pink Floyd' and sure, they have an air of both Floyd and maybe Bowie at times, atop their folkcountry roots (note, not fauxcountry) but it's done with a warmth and comfort of a mystical Nebraska or poetic Crazy Horse." – Sleazegrinder, UK

Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams have been called "the hillbilly Pink Floyd," which is an apt description, particularly if you throw in elements of Incredible String Band, Neil Young, The Band, Dylan, and maybe even some Frank Zappa as well. Upon returning recently from the U.K. this fall where they spread their contagious brand of quirky Americana from Glasgow to Penzance, the band completed work on their fourth studio album, “The Grand Slambovians”. The advent of “The Grand Slambovians” is both the band’s latest reincarnation and the title of their new soul stirring CD.

Joziah Longo, (lead singer/songwriter for the band) describes the new collection of songs as - "A more extreme dose of what we've always been - a country prison music meets British invasion type of thing". For the uninitiated, the band's all over the map melodic avant folk conjures Tom Petty, Dinosour Jr., and a fuller Buffalo Tom, possessing an exotic instrumental arsenal in addition to standard rock regalia. Equal parts Washington Irving and Woodstock, the band taps a broad palette of styles ranging from dusty Americana ballads to huge Pink Floydesque cinematic anthems. Playing art school roots rock, sometimes folk and quirky Americana, they possess an exotic instrumental arsenal (accordion, cello, mandolin, theremin) in addition to standard rock regalia. "The entire root system of Rock Family Trees is embedded in Longo's voice."- The Big Issue, Scotland, U.K.

Together since the late 90's where they met in art school, they settled in Sleepy Hollow, New York, and formed Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams. The band has toured nationally and abroad since forming in 1998. Known for electrifying live performances, and strong original music, they have a devoted and ever expanding fan base.

In 2010 they brought their legendary Halloween show, 'The Grand Slambovian Extraterrestrial Hillbilly~Pirate Ball' to London's Electric Ballroom and NYC's Gramercy Theater. "Saturday was a blast! I want you to know how great I thought your show was - you guys really made the Gramercy shine and ooze with your own personality." - Harvey Leeds, Live Nation NYC

There's something in the water along the Hudson River which continues to inspire creative souls - bandleader and songwriter Longo, (known for tall tales and philosophizing) is currently finishing his second musical with Broadway legend Theodore Mann scheduled to open this coming spring at the Circle in The Square Theater in New York City.

Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams are shedding their skin and come out boldly as 'The Grand Slambovians' touring the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. in support of their latest creative effort. Unleashing their hauntingly signature songs on the world once again, the new album is scheduled for release in early 2011. Manically melodic, the bold, new songs knit into the band’s classics like an old paisley quilt wrapped around a very large family. The ultimate DIY’ers, the band runs its own label and has previously released 3 critically acclaimed studio albums - 'The Great Unravel' (2008), 2004's double-disc 'Flapjacks from the Sky', and 'A Good Thief Tips His Hat' (1998).

Opening the evening will be The Matt Turk Band and Hope Machine. Matt Turk is a veteran performer who has engaged audiences around the world, both as a hard-rocking bandleader and an acoustic folk troubadour. Matt's latest recording, American Preservation reached, #20 on the folk dj chart during the summer of 2010, getting spins in more than 30 US States, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Hope Machine was born at a 2003 Woody Guthrie hootenanny hosted by Woody's granddaughter Anna Canoni. It was named after the Woody quote: "about all a human being is anyway, is a hoping machine." The band, whose core members are Fred Gillen Jr., Steve Kirkman, and Eric Puente, rarely does a show without a special guest or two sitting in, and they almost never rehearse. This way of operating has made their performances true celebrations of community, spontaneity, and freedom.