Easy to appreciate, difficult to describe, Antigone Rising is a band comprised of five of the most energetic and interesting women in rock today. The genesis of the band can be found in the high-school musings of original members Cathy and Kristen Henderson and over the span of eight years, the original members have seen numerous line-up changes, a forward progression in pursuit of artistic freedom and creativity, and a budding fan base that shows no signs of dwindling. In the time that this structure of support and admiration has grown, AR has developed into a powerhouse quintet whose ability to reach individual listeners rivals that of the biggest names in the industry.

From their first independent release, 1996’s She’s Gone A Little Mad, Antigone Rising has traveled a long and winding road. Along the way, they have garnered some major attention from the best in the business, but it has taken AR quite some time to reach a desperately sought pinnacle in their career. As they embark on the next leg of a journey that has taken them over 200,000 miles, Cityzen takes some time to reflect on what got them this far, and what will catapult them towards international fame and success.

Cathy and Kristen Henderson, dueling guitarist sisters with a flair for dramatic yet sensible songwriting, started the band. Cathy, a strong, independent woman not afraid to speak her mind, holds down the lead guitar spot. Bringing to the band an unfiltered fascination with complex musical ideas, Cathy has developed a unique style over the years, constantly pushing the sonic envelope and squeezing new sounds out of her classic sunburst Les Paul.

Influenced by recent appearances with Moe and the North Mississippi All-Stars, Cathy has incorporated intricate solo work to an already provocative guitar growl.

Kristen, the only other remaining original member, has an infectious smile that mirrors her joyful strumming as the band’s rhythm guitarist.

Originally occupying the drum throne, Kristen can’t seem to give up her rhythmic responsibility. Whether strumming chord progressions on both electric and acoustic guitars, or pounding away on the bongos, Kristen eschews a youthful exuberance, bouncing her whole body to the beat. So cute in fact, Kristen was even the inspiration behind Troop 47’s newest single “Remains of the Radio,” and the subject of an unhealthy infatuation harbored by lead singer Frankie, who is convinced that he will one day be “her future ex-husband.”

And not just phenomenal for a group of five women, but hands down some of the best rock and roll in the history of the genre.

Cassidy; veiled behind a singular moniker, saves her voice for when it counts. Before taking the stage, Cassidy is the most reserved member of the Antigone Rising family. She sits quietly in the venue as the crew loads the stage, occasionally taking some time to talk quietly to fans and friends. When AR finally hits the stage, Cassidy takes every ounce of stored energy and converts it into raw vocal prowess. At times she conjures a raspy romantic drawl that seduces your innermost child (listen to Sofcurry's Room- Live In NYC), while elswhere she belts out rock rage through her powerful set of pipes, and leaves the audience shocked that such emotive vocals could come from her petit frame. Her manic energy and ability to let free whirling dervishesque twirls and hand gestures portray the sheer joy that Cassidy derives from performing AR's ever-growing catalogue of songs.

“There really was not that much of a negotiation. Jason Flom, who is the president of Lava, and all the people at Lava, as a testament to the kind of people that they are and what they do for the record industry, gave us such a fair offer, there was not much to negotiate. It was an amazing deal; I’m not referring necessarily to the financial aspects, but just the way that it was structured. It was so fair, and so exactly what we wanted, that it was a no brainer…”

The Infamous Vanna White: Antigone on the Road

Also in 2003, Antigone Rising released a second live album entitled Traveling Circus. A testament to their time spent on the road, the setlist was a departure from the band's earlier work. The band plays an average of 220 shows a year, and sharing bills with the likes of the North Mississippi All-Stars, Robert Randolph & The Family Band and moe. has helped them incorporate new musical ideas with each passing date. An amalgamation of folk, funk, jam, rock, blues and a whole lotta love can best describe their current sound, though it's constantly in flux.

“Primarily as a touring band, you're trying to come up with ways to keep the show fresh and keep it interesting, and keep people coming back to see it, knowing that it's going to be a little different each night. I mean, nobody wants to come hear the same 3 1/2 minute pop song night after night.” Though some might disagree, Antigone’s fans certainly appreciate the effort that the band exudes to make each show one of a kind. The band has a die hard following, some of whom are willing to travel thousands of miles to see the band in places like Chicago, Atlanta and California.

The unofficial sixth memeber of the band is undoubtedly Vanna White, the tour van that has trucked over 200,000 miles in Antigone's pursuit of stardom. In their home away from home, Antigone has spent a majority of their eight years crossing the country in the faithful Ford 10 pass. With guitar tech Jude behind the wheel, they travel from date to date zoning out to their individual iPods or CD players.