Dylan Connor, Jessie Kilguss and Benjamin Cartel

Dylan Connor, Jessie Kilguss and Benjamin Cartel and their bands celebrate Benjamin’s return to New York City and Jessie’s birthday on May 21st at Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 2.

Longtime collaborators Kilguss and Cartel will also be sharing some new songs they are about to record.

Dylan Connor's subject material draws from such titles. Rooted in the craft of classic singer/songwriters and inspired by cultures of the world, Connor continues in the tradition of Billy Bragg, Ben Folds, and Tom Petty. Present-day comparisons include Dawes, Nada Surf, and Phoebe Bridgers, while Connor himself claims kindred spirit influences including Jeff Buckley, Matthew Sweet's power pop, and Death Cab For Cutie.

Jessie released her 5th album, What Do Whales Dream About at Night in September 2022.

Jessie Kilguss follows in the footsteps of such iconic artists as Sharon Van Etten,PJ Harvey, Lucinda Williams, and perhaps even Kate Bush. Those artists have been able to take folk music, alternative pop, and singer-songwriter creations, call them what you will, and polish them into perfection, give them a rare poise, turn the good into the great, and that is exactly what is going on here.” - Dave Franklin for the Big Takeover

In 2015, she sang harmony and played the harmonium with Freddie Stevenson, opening for the Waterboys all over Europe on their Modern Blues tour.

Kilguss is a former actress who made the switch to songwriting after working with some of her musical heroes, Marianne Faithfull and Mary Margaret O’Hara, in the London and Sydney productions of The Black Rider, a musical written by Tom Waits and William Burroughs, directed by Robert Wilson. This experience inspired her to start writing her own music. Other acting highlights include a UK production (and subsequent UK & US tour) of As You Like It, directed by Royal Shakespeare Company founder, Sir Peter Hall and the film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder.

Flickering Light is the second full-length album from Benjamin Cartel, the Cartel portion of the renowned duo Kaiser Cartel. Co-produced by Cartel and Mike Cohen, the new album features Benjamin Cartel on vocals, guitar and drums; Mike Cohen on guitar; and Kieren Mulvaney on bass.

Cartel’s sound merges a panorama of stylistic influences, including rock, psych folk, dream rock and even a bit of prog rock weaving through some of the tunes. It’s a prismatic sound with shimmering patience and musical wisdom, as if an imperturbable ambiance decided to enfold you.

Flickering Light encompasses ten tracks. “Starlight” provides a dreamy tantalizing tint of sonic colors riding a psych-pop melody. Cartel’s voice is smooth as cream, drifting in sparkling waves, like clouds floating by.” - Randy Radic, Huffington Post