Eleganza! and LazyLightning420 w/ James Eugene Russell (St. Paul)  at Turf Club

Eleganza has found a sound and rhythm where country and blue-eyed soul can coexist with the punk rock for which they’ve been known. And, with Water Valley High, Eleganza have hit their stride.

Erik Berry (Trampled by Turtles) is going back on the road with his new project LazyLightning420. Partnering with Duluth-based singer-songwriter Marc Gartman (Two Many Banjos, Glitteratti), Erik is exploring the songs and sounds of the Grateful Dead. Rather than simply performing their favorite Dead tunes, Gartman and Berry are performing entire Grateful Dead concerts, drawing the set list from the records kept at Archive.org.

This past decade’s struggles have shaped James Eugene Russell into the introspective and mature singer/songwriter that he is today, making songs that shine stripped down solo, as well as with a band. Drawing from the venerable classic country music genre as well as his own punk rock narrative, James Eugene Russell melds all of his life experience into a sound that he describes as “country midwestern”. As/Is is a truthful, gut-wrenching journey through his last decade of change, so buckle up and listen.