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Moonshine Society

Rank #9 Washington, DC Blues / Roots / Rock

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About

Members: Black Betty- Lead vocals and harmonica, Joe Poppen- Lead guitar and vocals, Chris Brown- Bass, Pete Ragusa- Drums

Sounds Like: Ann Peebles, *Susan Tedeschi*, Alabama Shakes, Albert Collins, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Label: Indie

Manager: EastCoast Entertainment- Jennifer Langer

Bio: "Grabs a hold of your soul and rocks it!"- The Boston Herald. "A Don't Miss Show"- Delta Airlines Sky Magazine. American Blues Scene- Blues Top 5 Chart. Young, internationally acclaimed band redefining the blues genre for a new generation. Three members inducted into Blues Hall of Fame in 201... See Full Bio

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Press

“Moonshine Society gave, again in my opinion, the consistently best set of the night. Black Betty, despite the pin-up girl schtick (no, seriously, there are pin-up photos on the band‘s Web site) has a strong voice, tons of personality, and a tight grip on the material, which is more rhythm and blues-sounding than many blues bands, with rolling gospel-chord changes more reminiscent of Ray Charles than Howlin‘ Wolf, and definitely more sophisticated. Stuff like "Feel Like Breaking Up Some-body‘s Home", covered by everyone from Etta James to Bette Midler, and a slow blues called "Better than This" stood out. The guitar player, Joe Poppen (photo at right, with Black Betty), was the last big discovery of the night – fluid, tasteful, sophisticated, articulate, intelligent. He got a spongy, Robert-Cray-type tone from his Strat that sonically fit perfectly with this tight ensemble, and yet his playing is far more interesting than Cray‘s paint-by-numbers approach to soloing. ”

— Mike Flagg, Capital Blues Messenger

"Saucy singer and band impart a spicy note!"

— The Beachcomber (Delaware/MD)

“New Deal Café Gets Down And Dirty With The Blues-Blues enthusiasts from across the region enjoy music at Greenbelt's daylong festival. People couldn't help but get up and dance as they enjoyed a day's worth of blues at the Roosevelt Center – the music just makes you want to move. "People like the blues because you can get up and dance to it," said Jenny Langer, who does booking and public relations for the group Moonshine Society. "They want to get up and they want to boogie, and they want to do it to a live band." Though this was the first time Moonshine Society played the festival, Sept. 11 marked the seventh year the Greenbelt Blues Festival has been held. And organizers felt this year was the best they've seen. "This has been one of our most successful [festivals] in terms of attendance and quality of music," said Dorian Winterfeld of the nonprofit Friends Of New Deal Café Arts, the organization that sponsors the festival... ”

— Maya T. Prabhu , Greenbelt Patch

“Big pipes, blazing guitar sounds, sexy personality and dancing girls- I don’t know what else you could ask for. This DC-based band has been rocking eclectic crowds since 2004 when the band formed at Berklee College of Music. But don’t let that stop you from checking them out- you’ll find no typical Berklee jazz cats here. Inspired by the looks of Dita Von Teese and Bettie Page, and the likes of Joplin, Koko, and Plant, you can’t help but be pulled into the live vocals and stage presence of this feisty firecracker. ….Killer music just isn’t enough- Check out the tasty visuals of this little rocker. An admitted myspace addict, I was a bit of a lurker once I found Black Betty’s profile through the band’s spot at myspace.com/blackbettyrocks ”

— A.L., Invasion Magazine

"[Black Betty] may be young in age, but she's really an old soul," says Zampell, owner of Mode Merr clothing, and a former costumer for the Boston Lyric Opera. "She takes the business seriously. But she's also totally into dress-up and pretend." Langer [aka Betty] is just as serious about exploring the roots and rituals of pinup culture, much as a young guitarist might mine old LPs for vintage Delta blues riffs..." ...Fundamentally, it's a scene as much character-driven as it is fashion-driven. Black Betty, for instance, a name borrowed from an old blues song, is a persona Langer slips into as comfortably as a sequined peasant blouse. Fronting her band Moonshine Society , which she with fellow Berklee alumni Joe Poppen and Chris Brown, she draws inspiration from Janis Joplin and Koko Taylor . But she layers on plenty of cheesecake, too, creating a vibe at once sonic and sartorial....

— The Boston Globe

“ ...Along with musical talent, Black Betty treats its audiences to an interesting visual aesthetic. Fronted by a rockabilly model, the band has guitarist Joe Poppen, with an afro and a Fu Manchu, close by her side. "The visual aspect and the character definitely come into play," said Black Betty, who often is recognized on the street for her distinctive long black hair and lacy ensembles... The sound: Modern blues that grabs hold of your soul and rocks it.”

— Kerry Purcell, The Boston Herald

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Songs

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Dangerous Mood (Liv…

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Te Ni Ne Ni Nu (Liv…

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Chain of Fools (Liv…

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Better Than This (L…

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Breaking Up Somebod…

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Videos

Moonshine Society- Breaking Up Somebody's Home

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Shows

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Fri
May 24

The Hamilton
Washington, DC, US | 10:00pm
The Hamilton
Washington, DC, US
Fri May 24 10:00pm
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Performing stripped down roots music in The Loft- DC's best late night secret. No cover. Kitchen open until 2am.
Sat
May 25

Dogwood Tavern
Falls Church, VA, US | 9:00pm
Dogwood Tavern
Falls Church, VA, US
Sat May 25 9:00pm
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- Tickets
Details

Blues and roots concert at Dogwood Tavern in Falls Church, VA. Big dance floor! Live music 10pm, late night menu and great beer list.
Tue
May 28

The 219
Alexandria, VA, US | 8:00pm
The 219
Alexandria, VA, US
Tue May 28 8:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

Scott Ramminger & The Crawstickers w/ special guest Jenny Poppen (Black Betty) EVERY Tuesday at the 219! Live Entertainment Tuesday through Saturday in the Basin Street Lounge (upstairs). Cigar Lounge open 7 nights a week starting at 9pm in the New Orleans Room.
Fri
May 31

L.A. Bar
Arlington, VA, US | 8:00pm
L.A. Bar
Arlington, VA, US
Fri May 31 8:00pm
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- Tickets
Details

Dubbed one of the Best Secret Bars in DC by CBS, the L.A. Bar and Grill is a great neighborhood watering hole for drinks, bar food, karaoke and live music.
Tue
Jun 4

The 219
Alexandria, VA, US | 8:00pm
The 219
Alexandria, VA, US
Tue Jun 04 8:00pm
- Show Details
- Tickets
Details

Scott Ramminger & The Crawstickers w/ special guest Jenny Poppen (Black Betty) EVERY Tuesday at the 219! Live Entertainment Tuesday through Saturday in the Basin Street Lounge (upstairs). Cigar Lounge open 7 nights a week starting at 9pm in the New Orleans Room.