After taking last year off for the pandemic, AmericanaFest was back in (almost) full swing again. A few artists decided not to do their show, the number of venues was scaled back, and vax requirements were in effect. However, combined with most attendees exercising common sense and respect for fellow music lovers, the overall vibe was one of responsible fun. And fun it was, especially after nearly 18 months of no live music.
I started the 2021 festival with the annual awards show. Afterwards I made my way to 3rd & Lindsley to see Paul Thorn and Tim Easton. This was a good example of why it’s a plus to see artists in, or near, their home town. It was the first time I’ve seen Easton with a full band and it was a great experience, even with his guitar troubles. And Thorn brought out his wife, Heather, to harmonize on a couple of songs. It was only the second time she’d performed in public, outside of singing in church.
I kicked off Thursday by going to Fat Kat Slim’s to catch polka punk duo Adrian + Meredith, and the gravelly crooning of Afton Wolfe. Wolfe was another example of home field advantage; he had about a dozen people on stage with horns and woodwinds and backup singers. In another era it would have been called a Country Rhythm & Soul Review. Next I went up to Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge in Madison to catch Ted Russell Kamp, Pi Jacobs, Manda Mosher, and several of their LA-based compatriots. Between the atmosphere at Dee’s and several hours of nonstop live music, it was a hard choice to re-enter reality when I got in the Uber to go back downtown. However, my evening’s lineup proved to be well worth the re-entry. AJ Lee & Blue Summit just shredded through a number of their original compositions. Then, going upstairs at the Cannery complex I finished my evening with solo performances from Vincent Neil Emerson and Patrick Sweany.
Friday started with a swing by the California Country show at Acme, one of my perennial favorites. From there it was down to Franklin for perhaps the highlight of the entire week. Canadian folk singer AHI (pronounced “eye”) has just finished a new album to be released later this year. In the studio where most of it was recorded, he, his producer, and a couple of his fellow musicians went through their experience recording the album with commentary before each song. It was enlightened, and entertaining, and authentic, to hear what went into the record.
Saturday began with a trip up to the Ted Russell Kamp-curated West Coast Turnaround in a lovely little venue/clothing store/coffee shop called the Bowery. Later that day was the most unusual event of the week, an unveiling of Indianapolis Colts’ owner Jim Irsay’s musical memorabilia collection. It was heavy on famous guitars, but had some other pretty amazing pieces, like Ringo’s drum kit from their early albums. I finished this year’s event over at the Exit/In with Lydia Loveless and then The Greyhounds.
To paraphrase a friend, I had reservations…and I had reservations, about this year’s event. But good old-fashioned civility was on full display at all the venues I entered. The end result underscored how much I missed going out to live music and left me excited to see the artists on tour this fall.
Enjoy more Twangville coverage of the Americana Conference and Awards.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.