Innovators, renegades, survivors - within a few years, the Zydepunks have grown from underground heroes into one of New Orleans' most talked about bands. Yiddish riddles, Irish ballads, Cajun punk, and original songs in Spanish and German are a small demonstration of why they astound new audiences. Wild folk dances fronted by accordion and fiddle and backed by relentless drums and bass are a testament to the high-energy folk-punk dance craze that is a Zydepunks show.

The Zydepunks began in 2004 and quickly took the New Orleans music scene by storm with their speedy and amped-up versions of European and Louisiana folk music. Vocal stylings in six languages (German, French, Spanish, Yiddish, English, Portuguese) immediately set the band apart. Their own original work has given the band a more cohesive feel while staying true to their sound.

Sadly, no story about any contemporary New Orleans band is complete without mentioning the hurricane season of 2005. What was looking to be a breakout year for five young musicians coming off a national tour turned into a matter of pure survival. Three founding members ended up returning to New Orleans to houses that were miraculously untouched but a city that was forever mangled. With their lineup and future in doubt, the band managed to reunite for a performance at the New Orleans Voodoo Music Festival. A memorable nighttime show at the legendary Café Brazil gave notice that the old New Orleans might come back after all.

The Zydepunks recently released their highly-anticipated third album "Exile Waltz" (Nine Mile Records) in August 2007 and are currently in the studios working on a 2008 release. They are thrilled to be going on their debut European tour in October, with more American and Old World dates being announced for the coming year.

The Zydepunks are:

Denise Bonis: violin, vocals
Before moving to New Orleans from Los Angeles, Denise performed with Menthol Hill on piano and violin, and toured with Lisa Germano, adding vocals and autoharp to the mix. New Orleans music credits include vocals and violin on Chappy and her own solo project.

Juan Christian Küffner: accordion, fiddle, lead vocals
Juan was fortunate to be able to speak four languages by the time he was 12 years old. His first music gig was playing organ at a local church, which he later dropped for playing with punk rock bands in Glasgow, UK. There his old roommate, John Grant, convinced him to try his hand at fiddle (much to the distate of the others living there).

Joe Lilly: drums, vocals
Joe Lilly is a drumming virtuoso and almost single-handedly provides the driving rhythm section of the band. He is an occasional session musician and former member of "Robots Marching".

Scott Potts: bass, vocals
Scott's well known in the New Orleans music scene for running Guerilla Studios and recording a wide array of New Orleans bands. He is forever in the band's debt for learning 15 Zydepunks songs in one night for a performance at the Freret Street Festival.

Eve: accordion, melodica, vocals
Eve spent seven years as a street performer in Europe, earning her living playing accordion music from around the globe. In New Orleans she has also performed with the Loose Marbles and local productions of "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Cabaret".