Doors 4pm, Music 7pm

Cast Iron Cowboys

Cast Iron Cowboys is a six piece country western band whose sound finds a sweet spot between classic blues and homegrown folk. First formed in early 2022, the Cowboys developed a style all their own. Inspired by Appalachian fiddle & banjo bluegrass and vintage country blues, the Cowboys combine a diverse mix of influences across American roots music, breathing new energy into an antique sound. Their ever-expanding repertoire includes original music and covers from a number of decades. Songs are led and sung in harmony by five of the Cowboys and line dancing, taught by band members or local experts, is a staple of their recurring performances. The band creates a welcoming environment with friendly instruction, often accompanied by honky tonk angels ready to help first-timers along. The band’s catalog of music also provides opportunities to two-step, waltz, swing, and stomp your boots along with the Cowboys on stage.

Founders Max Moses and Josh Chamberlain started this adventure because of their sheer passion to perform - and importantly, their love of music that gets people dancing. Max Moses (guitar), Josh Chamberlain (bass), Nate Marshall (piano/harmonica), Joe Hayward (banjo/pedal steel), Zeb Whitford (drums), and Margaret Harper (vocals/mandolin) drive forward a rousing effort that will bring you back to the classics, teach you new ways to move, and leave you wanting more.

Cast Iron Cowboys steadily grows their dedicated fan base, consistently packing venues and adding new friends to the Cast Iron Community. They perform often in Tompkins County, and have taken their talents to cities across New York and PA. The band’s most recent milestones came in July of 2025 with two performances at the 33nd annual Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival, and a debut studio single, "That Truck Had to Go". Other live recordings are available online, with a studio album coming late 2025.
​Now, if you catch a Cast Iron show, you'll find a posse delivering a mixture of boot stomping barn burners, honky tonk dance numbers, and evocative ballads. Repertoire includes original songs, as well covers from timeless artists like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Doc Watson to contemporary musicians like Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, and Billy Strings. Five-part harmonies, multi-instrumentalists trading solos, and an unflappable groove bring community together in heels, hats, and attitude to fit the theme.

https://www.castironcowboysmusic.com/

Janet Batch

“Her style feels akin to the early work of Rosanne Cash, with her devil-may-care attitude and country twang, but Batch’s colorful stories often conjure up the wily work of Jim Croce by way of Emmylou Harris’ heavenly croon” - The Big Takeover

“Batch exudes a forlorn vibe on "Radio" thanks to potent, economical storytelling that illustrates the struggles of loving an artist. She wrings every last syllable from her lyrics to haunting effect—it's hard not to feel the despair when she laments, "You wanted empty and I / Gave you more empty than you could stand."" - Earmilk

“As infectious as the music is, the prize of the song is Janet’s nasal lilt, simultaneously resonant and radiating alluring twing-twang nuances. It’s one of those potent, tantalizing country voices appearing on the music scene once in a great while – easy to listen to, vibrant, and graceful, what some might call ‘posh provincial.’” - Guitar Girl

“With her twangy voice and songs of working-class life, you might think that Janet Batch hails from the Blue Ridge Mountains or the hollers of Kentucky. But the Ithaca-based singer-songwriter actually grew up on a dairy farm in the small town of Litchfield, just southeast of Utica.” - Jim Catalano City Magazine

https://www.janetbatch.com/

Tickets: $10 advance, $15 day of show and on sale now at https://abilene.showare.com and at the bar