Chris Rovetti started playing violin at the age of 4 where he was given a paper towel roll and a dowel and was told to work on his form before he was even able to touch a real violin. Whatever the tactics were, they seemed to work because Chris was winning local fiddle competitions before age 10, competing in national competitions and eventually playing on The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco with the likes of Chris Thile. Playing in numerous local bands, Rovetti has carved out a niche for himself as one of the best country fiddle players in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Chris joins Art Revolution for a chat about his inspirations, the origins of the fiddle in popular country music and even blesses the podcast with a rendition of Wagon Wheel where he sings and plays fiddle. Even Alex gets in on the fun singing a duet with Jared to Billy String's Gild the Lily where Chris weaves his fiddle magic throughout and showcases his unique talent. We hope you enjoy this episode because we sure had some fun recording it! Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, we present to you Mr. Chris Rovetti.

Korey Ross joined Top Shelf at 19 years old and never looked back. Touring with the band and later joining Mystic Roots as well, Ross pursued his music dreams with gusto propelling him to the top of his craft where he shared stages with numerous touring and world famous bands. From his humble roots of playing Blink 182 songs in Windsor, Ca with his friend is his childhood bedroom, Korey studied music and took private guitar lessons eventually ending up in UCSD where he studied jazz, classical theory and earned a degree in music composition. He ended up returning home and then moved to Ukiah where he now resides with his wife and 2 year-old son. His music dreams never were far from his mind as he toured in between jobs until he settled down to build a family and help raise his son. Korey talks about his early days of being the new kid in the band, and being the youngest, learning from his bandmates and forming an unbreakable brotherhood and bond that still remains today. The conversation takes a little turn into the current political climate and how differing opinions on politics doesn't have to affect friendships. Korey is a producer as well and was a key contributor to Top Shelf's newest album "A New Kind of World" where roots reggae rhythms mix with rock undertones, poignant lyrics and conscious songwriting. Korey blesses the podcast with a live, acoustic performance exclusively here on The Art Revolution Podcast. Kick back, relax and get to know one of most talented guitar players in all of Mendocino County and beyond.

Art Revolution goes straight to the L.A. underground where MC Rey 3 crafted his MC skills, prolifically dropping self-produced tracks for the past 25 years. Alongside him for the episode, was his friend and fellow MC, Eli Fowler who grew up in Redway, Ca in Humboldt County. With reggae elements introduced to him through Reggae On the River and the Mateel Community Center during his formative years, Fowler forged a unique style of hip-hop, growing up in the heart of The Emerald Triangle amidst a culture of renegade, self-sufficiency and rugged small community interdependence. MC Rey 3 started battle-rapping at the age of 8 years old in the streets of LA and traveled the country battling other MC’s in major competitions where he mastered his smooth delivery and his gritty, conscious freestyle skills. Both our guests take us on a journey through the evolution of hip hop culture and discuss freestyle rap as an art-form and a pure, authentic, artistic expression rooted in battle-rap culture. Sit back and enjoy some “Peace, Love, Unity” and have some “fun” on this special episode with MC Rey 3 and Eli Fowler.

Annie is a talented illustrator, author, painter, singer/songwriter and musician performing under the stage name Helena I Hear You. She wrote, illustrated and self-published her first children’s book, “The Three Things” in 2015 and her most recent project “Sometimes It’s Bright” in 2021. She has illustrated other children’s books as well for other authors “Camshaft 10”,  “I, Lincoln Did Not Ask for This” and a zine called “Finding Home”. She resides in Mendocino County and works as a freelance illustrator as her day job while also being an artist, mother, wife and musician. She blesses the Art Revolution Podcast with an impromptu acoustic performance of one of her original songs and shares stories of the journey that led to her planting roots in Mendocino County.  From working at Disneyland, to illustrating on the Cartoon Network hit Adventure Time to living in New York City dodging traffic and dealing with the endless honking of car horns, she’s traveled a circuitous route back to her Northern California roots. Art Revolution talks books, music, creativity, the power of imagination and the healing power of artistic expression on this special episode featuring another talented and creative artist who has chosen Mendocino County to call her home.

https://annieruygtillustration.com/

Helena I Hear You (Annie’s Music)

https://helenaihearyou.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2EJwWYIQfhgMxFRJ1rELtg?si=4ANVvvQ7QxaQUBishdA4DA

Summer has arrived and Art Revolution rides this heatwave right into this weekend’s festivities at Mendo Utopia’s 1st Annual Summer Solstice Concert at the Lot on Main this Saturday June 20th 11:30am-9pm. Jared talks a bit about the future of Mendo Utopia and also its humble beginnings as a dream to build a Community Center for Mendocino County. Alex talks about an event on July 11th at the Medium Art Gallery called “Music Within Our Worlds Matter.” that he is organizing featuring art by Neuro-divergent artists and music by Weird Year and an Oakland band headlining called Sour Widows. The guys talk about the 1st Sundays in the Park with Third World, MetalFest, Reggae music, Rastafarianism and advocating for people with disabilities to “be out of institutions and into the community” and receiving the support that is needed to do so. Enjoy this episode of Art Revolution and try to stay cool. Summer is here! We’ll see you this Saturday at The Lot on Main for The 1st Annual Summer Solstice Concert. It’s supposed to be 83 degrees and beautiful.

This week we sit down with local music promoter Bryon C. Stiky ahead of Redwood Metalfest at Alex Thomas Plaza on June 13th and Agent Orange with The Drowns and ARPH at The Pub in Ukiah on June 25th (Tickets $20 in advance). He tells us about the outlaw origins of his nickname and the inception and growth of Redwood Metalfest from a small “practice festival” at the Mateel Center in Humboldt county to the annual Ukiah institution that people from all over California, the Pacific Coast, and even Australia anticipate with ferocious joy. Who among us hasn't gotten Death Angel to play at their first festival for just over 100 people?!

In this conversation, we get into how the Metalfest team got the city of Ukiah to enthusiastically support heavy music outside in the heart of downtown, the electric energy that happens when people have a mentality of “compliment, not competition,” the fierce individuality and true friendship in heavy metal culture, and Bryon’s cornerstone ethic of treating people with the respect that we all deserve. As he puts it, “I don't have ‘connections.’ These are my friends, people I work with, people I respect.”

We think you’ll really enjoy this conversation with a truly valued friend and community member. Turn it up !

Hillshaker rumbles through the Art Revolution Podcast for a special episode where they share stories of their individual journeys which led them to the Mendocino County line. Clay Hawkins and Andy Robertson met 15 years ago and formed a kinship revolving around their love of music and performing live. ”Blending rapid-fire slide guitar, grooving upright bass, warm harmonies and heartfelt songwriting, Hillshaker create their own unique brand of Americana music. Featuring Clay Hawkins on guitar and Andrew Robertson on the upright bass, the duo's fast, upbeat style swings from psychedelic roots/country to heavy old-time blues.”
     Clay shares about his online artist and venue space that he created called OME (Open-Music-Exchange) This online, social network for artists, promoters and venues is accessible for all to create their own websites, virtual event calendars, online marketplaces and promote their upcoming shows. Andy is a multi-instrumentalist and talented singer/songwriter originally from Fairfield, Ca. Before moving to Mendocino County, he played drums and toured with a Bay Area punk band called The Dairy Queens, polishing his skills as a musician and performer. Both these talented musicians have logged their 10,000 hours and then some. They perform a live set at the end of the episode which gives the listener a little taste of what is to come this Friday June 5th at the Lot on Main for this month’s 1st Friday Art Walk in Ukiah (5-8pm). There’s no need to run for cover, but you will find yourself running to the dance floor when their soulful harmonies and driving rhythms resonate throughout your body. Without further ado, enjoy Hillshaker.

Link to OME: https://ome.audio/

It was an honor for Art Revolution to welcome Nova Medina to the podcast.  Nova is the powerhouse behind The Lot on Main and a mixed media artist. A graphic designer, flower farmer and champion giant pumpkin grower. This small town multi-hyphenate brings together art, nature, and technology to bolster her community. She teamed up with with our Co-host and founder of The Lot on Main, Nick Johnson early on in the Lot’s evolution and together they formed a 501 (c) Nonprofit by the same name, showcasing local artists and music in our community and providing a local hub for family-friendly, all-ages events and an outdoor artisan marketplace. Being dubbed “The Lady of the Lot” she truly is the backbone of The Lot’s social media presence and its evolution into an official Nonprofit. So, get to know the woman behind the Instagram reels who put The Lot on the digital map. Nova also co-founded Pajaro Flats Farm with her family in Covelo, Ca where they grow beautiful bouquets of flowers for events. You can find her booth every 1st Friday Art Walk at The Lot on Main in Ukiah.

https://www.instagram.com/pajaroflatsfarm

“The Wichdokta” Richard Shattuck joins the crew for a candid conversation about the genesis of The Gemini Electronic Festival on the Eel River which he founded. He shares stories about his wild and free youth and how he realized in his mid-twenties that he had get clean or he was headed for trouble and his dreams were being sidetracked. After changing his lifestyle, he rediscovered his love of DJing and drumming and moved back to the Bay Area to pursue his music and quickly propelled himself into the electronic music scene as a promoter, DJ and playing drums in numerous bands. He is currently co-producing The Phoenix Family Music Festival May 23rd (12-8pm) Featuring Blue Luke, Post-Modern Prometheus, Crimson Revival, Seed 707 and Mudrone at Alex Thomas Plaza in Ukiah. They are also planning 2 Community Concerts in Willits Rec Grove Park June 21st and August 1st. The Wichdokta toured as a DJ throughout North America but stopped touring to be present with his family and raise his children with his Wife in the hills of Mendocino County near the Eel River. Let The Wichdokta stir up some concoctions for you on this episode of Art Revolution and go on a trip with the guys into the nostalgia of growing up in the 80’s and 90’s in Mendocino County and creating a vibrant future for Mendocino County full of meaningful human connections and community, inspiring art, music, culture and unity.

Season 2 starts off with a bang with Adam Manus singer-songwriter and leader of The Adam Manus Band. He joins the guys from Art Revolution to talk about his formative years growing up in Leggett, California, learning guitar amongst the redwoods and Nor-Cal landscape and his present gig, singing with the highly esteemed The Funky Dozen. He talks music, his influences, travel and some of the hilarious hi jinx and adventures that he’s experienced along the way. Art Revolution is blessed to have gotten to sit down with this genuine, authentic, kindhearted soul who performs a couple songs for us and wows us with his strong vocal presence and soulful style. Enjoy this entertaining ride, full of laugh out loud fun and get to know one of Mendocino County’s own homegrown talents.

This episode sponsored by https://cluttsco.com/