WYEP invites you to enjoy local music and help tackle hunger in the Pittsburgh community. Their 13th annual Alternative Souper Bowl features a live broadcast with local artists.

This year’s performers include:

Bill Toms

          Bill Toms has evolved to become one of the best orators in the music world today. He connects to an audience and embraces the American traditions of rhythm and blues, soul, folk, and rock and roll.  Bill joined Pittsburgh’s legendary band, The Houserockers, as lead guitarist in 1987. The band’s meteoric rise into the professional music scene enabled Bill to tour the United States and Europe repeatedly. While with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers he opened for and played with a long and impressive list of notables, such as The Band, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat and Stevie Ray Vaughn. During his 19 years of playing guitar and singing back-up vocals for the Houserockers, Toms’ recorded six studio albums and one live concert album. In 1995, the acclaimed CD, “American Babylon,” was recorded and produced by Bruce Springsteen.

Mark Dignam

Mark Dignam is an Irish born, US based songwriter who began as a busker on the streets of Dublin. Dignam’s songs are always intelligent and insightful, balanced with an infectious sing-along quality and that irresistible Irish wit… His sound draws comparisons to Van Morrison, Dylan, and Tim Buckley as well as the more contemporary songwriters of today like Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, and Sun Volt. Live, Dignam delivers powerful, three-dimensional performances, a songwriter’s songwriter, and yet an accessible gem. He engages audiences with warm melody, lyricism, strong personality and has been invited to open for or tour with Billy Bragg, David Gray, Richard Thompson, Joan Armatrading, Vic Chestnut, The Frames, Paddy Caseyand a host of others.

Joy Ike

Joy Ike has found herself in the most unexpected of places – living and performing as a full-time touring musician — voted Pittsburgh City Paper’s Best Solo Artist for the third year running, landing a spot on the 2010 Lilith Fair Tour, and a radio short on NPR’s All Things Considered. Her fans have compared her to the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae, Norah Jones, Fiona Apple, and Regina Spektor. She has opened for national artists Jill Hennessey, Butterfly Boucher, Dwele, Serena Ryder, Chrisette Michele, Tyrone Wells, and Matthew Good. Ike’s music has continually been noted for its lyrical depth- addressing the human condition, thoughts on love, and the search for God in a very tangible way. Her most recent full-length album, “Rumors”, released in May 2010.

Please bring a non-perishable donation for HEARTH, a local shelter for displaced women and their children. This event is open to the public, and portions will be broadcast live on 91.3fm WYEP. More details at http://wyep.org/events/event.php?event_id=1886