Michelle Maclay hosted Femme Fest 2009 and believe it or not has come back for more! She does comedy wherever people will let her, at least once! She is the co-host and co-producer of the Blank Slate Comedy Show that runs every 3rd Wedsnesday of the month at The Fuse on Franklin Street. A stint of comedy in NYC and gettin older helps her to bring the funny. Oh and she just recently got married...enough said.

Comedian Jennifer McGinnis has performed stand-up comedy across the Southeast. Jennifer is a favorite of comedy fans and fellow comedians alike. She regularly headlines shows in college campuses and various fundraising comedy events. Jennifer is also a member of competitive improv teams Guffaw GuFoundation, Finding Emo, and Vamp.

Taz came into this world howling and screaming bloody murder at thunder as a child, and has been belting it out ever since. And for FemmeFest, she's bringing her ace band Kittybox and the Johnnys.

Veteran singer-songwriter Rodie Ray continues to use her southern wit and quizzical girlish charms to reel in large devoted audiences around the Southeast.

Crystal Bright & the Silver Hands have a maddeningly eclectic sound. This band is truly difficult to put a label on. Depending on the song being played, one could describe them using a variety of descriptions ranging from circus nightmare theme to Spanish traditional song to experimental noise.

Twins Annette and Runnette grew up in Jackson, New Jersey singing gospel and contemporary Christian music at an early age. Travelling was second nature. They decided that singing together and sisterly harmony was the key to their happiness in music. Red Sonja's love shows through their energetic performances and their unique gift of engaging the crowds they entertain.

Dark Water Rising to express a sound and free spirit that embraces several genres of music including soul, blues, country, hip hop, gospel, and rock.

Bella Ruse are from Minneapolis, and sound kinda like Feist plus a little jazz, Yael minus the accent.

Above Gravity is an all-girl 4-piece rock band from Chapel Hill NC, 2010 winners of the Cat's Cradle Orange County High School Battle of the Bands, who channel No Doubt, Paramore and All American Rejects.

Pistil are a fun, punk-inspired part-time girl band, part-time boy band (depending on who's in drag) genetically engineered to simultaneously appeal to the nerd and rocker alike!

Jodie Manross has a crisp voice and illuminative songcraft...equal parts wistful and urgent and atmospheric.

Every musical generation has its female voices that seem to rise above the rest. In the 1930s and '40s, it was Ella Fitzgerald; in the '60s and '70s it was Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Joni Mitchell; the past few decades have seen the rise of women in modern rock and all other musical genres. The time has come for the torch to be passed to a new voice that has the power to truly shape the ever-changing direction of modern music - that of a fiercely independent woman, artist, and musician: Lucy Sumner of Vincent's Missing Ear.

The Lighter Side are a Christian / acoustic / indie sister/brother duo.

Morgan's End are an alternative / indie band based out of Chapel Hill.

Soft spoken acoustic newcomers Scarlet Virgina bring the indie folk.

The Muletrain is a rag-tag bunch of musicians who sound like a fainting goat, right before the fall. Old style authenticity.

Ashley Atkins has been building an audience the old fashioned way:  playing show after show, year after year. As some one who's shared many musicians with her over the years, I may be biased, but I think she's only gotten better and better.

Darien leads you through songs of magic and whimsy, love and loss, seamlessly moving between genres of chamber pop, electronica and singer-songwriter.

At 14 Sarah got her first guitar, a Big Baby Taylor, and her world changed.

Something Candid is the lyrical and playful project of Durham singer/songwriter Sabina Barton along with Elana Mie Scheiner.

Why Not Be Lovers is the project of Durham singer/songwriter Anna Rose Beck along with Juliana Maia Soic.

The Jones Sisters is the folk side project of Hwyl's Rhiannon Jones and her sister Cindy.

Beautiful, honest and true, Elsa Cross is a force to be reckoned with. She croons, stomps, and rocks out a mix of country, rockabilly and bluegrass, with the accent on blue. Her fans range from tattooed tough-guy punks to old church folks and everyone in between.

Asheville native Ashley Chambliss has had her songs appear on MTV's "The Hills" and ABC's "One Life to Live." Now she brings her sweet piano-rock vibe to the Cave.

Taz came into this world howling and screaming bloody murder at thunder as a child. She's since settled down (somewhat) in Chatham County, but can still wail, no lie. Joining her will be young up-and-comers Scarlet Virginia.

Ashley Atkins has been building an audience the old fashioned way:  playing show after show, year after year.  As some one who's shared many musicians with her over the years, I may be biased, but I think she's only gotten better and better.

Originally conceived as a blues band, The Hwy 54 Band soon realized that there was more to their sound than just straight blues - influences come from a wide range of artists, from Robert Johnson to Led Zeppelin to Jimmy Hendriks to Neil Young to Bob Dylan and the Duhks.

Rebekah Pulley plays soulful Southern Pop. If Kathleen Edwards and The Band took a ride downtown on a balmy, summer night to meet Ray Lamontagne and Jenny Lewis for drinks at an old dive bar with walls full of stories and character, it would sound like her.