BANDS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 original compositions sung in Portuguese, the group draws upon Brazilian music, from Bossa Nova and Samba to jazz and rock. Soothing melodies are counterbalanced by rich, jazzy chord progressions and lively, syncopated rhythms. Across North Carolina, Banana da Terra has lit up the music scene from Chapel Hill to Asheville, and everywhere in between. Though band members have chased pursuits that have taken them in different directions, they still come together for occasional gigs – to the delight of local audiences.

Dashawn Hickman (2 p.m.)

DaShawn Hickman makes the short trip from his hometown of Mt. Airy to perform on the Boonerang stage! One of the region’s most remarkable pedal steel players, DaShawn Hickman is bringing 1930s traditional Pentecostal style of Sacred Steel music back to the forefront by adding a bit of his own flair. Having regularly performed alongside a list of notables that includes the Allen Boys, Alice Gerrard, and Riley Baugus, Hickman has certainly had the opportunity to cultivate his sound alongside the greats. Hickman has a way of milking each note for all it’s worth, with mind-blowing slides that create those take-me-to-church moments that have audiences lifting their hands to the sky.

Dr. Bacon (4 p.m.)

Set the scene. The year: 2012. The place: downtown Boone. You’re walking down King Street, maybe heading to class, window shopping a bit. Some music catches your attention. Up ahead, you see three guys busking. Not altogether unusual in Boone –sometimes it’s that girl wanting to read your palm or that guy selling poetry. But something about that incongruous blend of acoustic bluegrass and throwback 90s rock hits you just right and you throw a couple bucks into an open guitar case. Dr. Bacon has come a long way since those days of a decade past, playing in the streets, bars, and house parties of Boone. Now a six-piece touring band based in Asheville, Dr. Bacon peddles it signature Appalachian Funk, Grass, and Rock & Roll in venues, festivals, and stages up and down the Atlantic seaboard, across the Blue Ridge, and beyond.

Carolina Reapers (6 p.m.)

The Carolina Reapers convene this June for a special performance at the Boonerang Music & Arts Festival! Exceptionally Hot — that’s the only way experts can describe the world’s hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper,