Sirius.B is an eight-piece musical group from Asheville, nc. It was formed in late 2006 by Xavier Ferdón, Pancho Romero Bond, and Imhotep and takes its name from the white dwarf star, Sirius B. Sirius.B combines accordion, violin, cello, acoustic guitar, flamenco and electric guitar, charango, banjo, percussion, drums, upright bass, melodica, clarinet, and multi-lingual vocals to create a worldly or otherwise otherworldly sound.
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2017, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Favorite All-Around Band
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2015, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Favorite All-Around Band No. 3 Rock Band
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2014, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Favorite All-Around Band No. 1 Acoustic/Folk Band (tie) No. 1 Rock Band
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2013, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Favorite All-Around Band No. 1 Acoustic/Folk Band No. 1 Rock Band No. 3 World Music Band
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2012, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Favorite Local Band No. 1 Local Gypsy Absurdist Punk Rock Band No. 3 Local Band: Acoustic / Folk
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2011, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Next Big Thing No. 1 Local Band: Rock No. 2 Favorite Local Band No. 2 Local Band: Acoustic/Folk
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2010, Sirius.B was voted:
No. 1 Next Big Thing No. 2 Experimental Band No. 2 Rock Band
In the Mountain Xpress's Best of Western North Carolina for 2009, Sirius.B was voted: No. 1 Rock Band No. 1 Experimental Band (tie) No. 2 Indie Band No. 3 Live Show of 2009 – (Beating Sirius.B for Best Live Show were the Beastie Boys and Phish.)
In addition, Sirius.B also won awards in the Best of WNC 2007 and Best of WNC 2008. Mountain Xpress writes, "folk-punk artists Sirius B are, according to Xpress readers, the ones to watch."
Sirius.B's songs can be heard on regional radio stations such as 88.7FM WNCW, 105.9FM The Mountain, 98.1FM The River, 880AM The Revolution, and Power 90.5FM. They have also made a live appearance on the WDVX Knoxville Blue Plate Special, which has hosted other artists such as Bela Fleck and The Avett Brothers.
In addition to the Asheville area, they tour regionally to venues in Atlanta and Athens, GA; Columbia and Charleston, SC; and Knoxville and Johnson City, TN. They often host ticket sales on their main website. The Mountain Xpress states that "The excitement of a Sirius.B show has been compared by the press to what 'one would imagine Athens’s 40 Watt Club to have been like in the early days of R.E.M."
Their original album, "Dazzling Urbanites" was released on May 3, 2008.
Their second album, "Monkey Robot Soldier" was released on March 27, 2010.
Their third album, "The Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman" was recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studio and released on September 28, 2012, after raising $9,150 through their Kickstarter campaign.
Line-up Current members Pancho Romero Bond – Vocals, Acoustic guitar, Kazoo Xavier Ferdón – Guitar, Chromatic button accordion, Charango, Banjo Imhotep - Percussion Franklin Keel – Cello, Vocals Mattick Frick – Percussion, Vocals Ryan Kijanka – Upright bass, Vocals Drayton Aldridge – Violin
In the Asheville Symphony Orchestra Franklin Keel is the Assistant Principal Cellist.
Franklin Keel is also a member of Upland Drive and the Opal String Quartet.
Ryan Kijanka is a member of Upland Drive.
Former members Lauren Baker - Vocals Brian Hermanson – Clarinet Lee Stanford – Violin, Vocals Bryshen Brothwell – Accordion, Upright Bass, Piano Rachael Kistler – Violin Amy Lovinger – Violin Mike Morel – Percussion Branco Cotes – Percussion Jamie Davis – Bass Guitar Laura Baskervill – Violin Hannah Furgiuele – Violin, Viola Bruce Comings – Bass Guitar
Special guests Christian Newman (tenor) – Vocals Martha Gardner – Violin Mariya Potapova – Violin Kara Poorbaugh – Viola Debra Darling – Vocals Ralph McGibbons - Vocals Todd Scholl, aka FrostyG – Vocals Seth Kellam – Vocals
Discography Stars and the Fishes (2017) Monkey Robot Soldier (2010) Dazzling Urbanites (2008) The Triumphant Return of Black-Eyed Norman (2012)
References
External links Sirius.B Official Website