Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a time, running from 10:30 p.m. until 2 or 3 a.m., often followed by late-night jam sessions that stretch until sunrise. It’s an overwhelming amount of music happening simultaneously, where you can bounce between rooms and catch dozens of performances in a single night.
So, let’s start with a couple of veterans that never fail to please. The Steel Wheels delivered everything from rock and roll at their public showcase to an a cappella number at their private one. They’re celebrating 20 years together and their onstage chemistry backs that up. Perhaps the most recognized performer at the conference was not some big name arena-filler, but Steve Poltz. Everyone seems to know him. As he flew between appointments and showcases, he left a wake of mirth and appreciation. His public showcase featured mostly songs from his new album, and of course his inimitable style of storytelling. I first saw Pieta Brown over a decade ago and her set was plagued with audio difficulties. I didn’t take away much of an impression as a result. Her private showcase Friday night left me speechless with its beauty and intensity, and a realization that I missed 10 years of listening opportunities.
Some of the artists I made it a point to see don’t frequently come to the west coast or are not currently touring, so this was my chance to see them. Caitlin Cannon lit up the room with a set heavy on her recent record, Love Addict. And to echo the point she made, the lyrics of the title track have a more direct reference when played in a hotel room. The Rough and Tumble had the Borgne ballroom in the palm of their hands with several numbers from last years Hymns For My Atheist Sister And Her Friends To Sing Along To. Taylor Rae has taken her talent up a notch with her new musical partner, Sam Hodgson, and their incredible harmonies. Another duo, Alice Howe & Freebo, are starting to promote Alice’s new record. But the highlight of the set was Freebo’s “hit”, She Loves My Dog More Than Me, with the 20-or-so of us in the room all singing lustily along with the chorus.
Speaking of sing-alongs, Bandits On the Run had a few extra minutes at the end of their planned set and did cover of The Talking Heads Road to Nowhere, with everyone chair-dancing and chiming in on the chorus. I showed up early for the Taylor & Sam set and was wowed by Farayi Malek. Twenty-four hours later, in the same 1888 Media room, Hannah Connolly had half the room audibly sobbing to her autobiographical House/Home. At the other end of the emotional spectrum was the always-charismatic Shanna In A Dress. Her stories may not leave you quite as giddy as a Poltz set, but when she did her “punk” song, it had everyone in stitches. In case she doesn’t play it when you see her, the chorus is, “life is like a pizza crust, and I’m a mother-fucking seagull!!!”
With days frequently going until 3 or 4 in the morning, and then the trauma of trying to get home in the middle of winter (especially for those going back to Nashville this year), Folk Alliance generally requires a recovery period. But I’m already excited about next year.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.