Julian Velard & Friends feat. Toby Lightman, Jason Myles Goss, Yay Blynn: 15 Years below 14th Street

Celebrating Rockwood Music Hall’s 15-Year Anniversary!

For two Mondays in February, singer, songwriter, comedian, and Native New Yorker Julian Velard will be hosting a throwback hootenanny to the golden aughts on the Lowest East Side. Velard, one of the first acts to play Rockwood when it opened, has invited a group of handpicked guests to perform short sets in celebration of Rockwood’s 15th anniversary, as well as surviving and thriving in NYC.

Julian Velard’s music styling and comedic timing have made him a regular on The Howard Stern Show and NPR, and have won acclaim in The Guardian, Time Out London, The Sunday Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He’s toured internationally as an opening act for artists such as Jamie Cullum, Paul Carrack, and Goldfrapp, and he has shared the stage with a host of comedians including Will Ferrell and Reggie Watts. Velard’s songs have been featured in Mashable, The AV Club, Nerdist and performed by UK Pop sensation Olly Murs.

Toby Lightman studied violin growing up in New Jersey, but it wasn't until college that she began to seriously consider a career in music. She studied radio and television at the University of Wisconsin, learning guitar in her spare time and singing with cover bands. After school Lightman moved to New York, where a fortuitous meeting with Wyclef Jean led to him producing her demo. The tape caught the attention of producer Peter Zizzo, who helped the young songwriter develop a light, marketable mix of subtle drum programs with plenty of acoustic guitar and Lightman's own expressive vocals. A round of 2003 label showcases led to a deal with Lava/Atlantic, and by late that year, the single "Devils and Angels" was making noise at Hot AC radio formats. Early 2004 found Lightman on the road, hitting radio stations and small clubs (including opening slots for Howie Day) in preparation for the March release of Little Things. A year later, Lightman released two singles, Connect Set and Real Love. In 2006, he released Bird on a Wire, an album far more noticeably mature than her 2004 LP. The gospel- and jazz-imbued Let Go arrived in 2008, followed by the all acoustic Know Where I'm From in 2010, and the Holding a Heart EP in 2013. ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi

In 2015 Jason Myles Goss released his fifth album, This Town Is Only Going To Break Your Heart, a gutsy collection of songs that pulled together many of Jason's disparate influences. It's an album about the towns we love, the towns that shape who we are, and about kids growing up to have kids of their own. Over the years Jason has been lucky enough to share the stage with artists such as: Shovels & Rope, Anaïs Mitchell, Mandolin Orange, Stephen Kellogg, and Lori McKenna.