Having just wrapped up its 26th edition, AmericanaFest has grown considerable in the years I’ve been going. In the early years a shuttle bus continuously made the rounds between the half dozen or so clubs that were hosting official showcases across the 3-nights of shows (plus the kick-off Awards and Honors event Wednesday night). Now there are more than a dozen venues getting in on the action that begins on Tuesday, which doesn’t include at least that many more that host unofficial (but listed in the guide) showcases plus various semi-private parties. All of that is a long-winded way of saying you can’t come close to seeing everyone you want, and travel time between venues starts to become part of the strategy.
After landing late afternoon on Tuesday I dropped my bags off and headed over to Adrian + Meredith‘s annual pierogi party. Properly sated with Polish food, I finished the evening at the 5-Spot where they had an extended salute to Roy Orbison. It featured over a dozen singers including Chuck Mead, Robyn Hitchcock, Nicki Bluhm, Erin Rae, and Patrick Sweany, each doing one of their favorite Orbison numbers. Wednesday’s highlights, in addition to the Awards show, included a stripped-down trio version of Fruition as well as sets from Nicole Atkins and Duane Betts at the East Nashville American Legion facilities. And Legion Post 82 gets a special award of merit for having the best air-conditioning, a welcome bonus during a week where every day was in the upper 90’s.
With everyone now hitting stride I caught a good string on Thursday afternoon at Skinny Dennis, seeing The Cordovas, the Fruition trio, new-to-me Farayi, and Lydia Loveless. Then a few blocks up Gallatin Avenue I got a solid dose of honky-tonk with Grey DeLisle, India Ramey, and John Surge and the Haymakers. The day’s highlight, though, was undoubtedly Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs at Brooklyn Bowl. Featuring a surprise guest appearance from Margo Price on the Petty/Campbell co-write You Wreck Me, it was a reminder that a band of 70-year-olds can still rock your socks off.
My Friday afternoon was spent at Love + Exile for the 1888 Media showcase. With half of the sets occurring on the outdoor stage in the previously noted heat, audience energy was in conserve mode until Steve Poltz showed up. After a quick sound check he sat out in the audience and led a sing-along of the Grateful Dead’s Truckin‘. Properly warmed up he then put on a typical bouncing-off-the-walls Poltz set. Other highlights of the event were the recently formed duo, Lemongrass, and rising Austin stars Next of Kin. The best sets of the night were a surprisingly engaging Suitcase Junket and the increasingly top notch Boy Golden.
Saturday afternoon started great and just got better. Reminding you what all the buzz is about, Sophie Gault had her full band for her set at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge. Next I headed back to Love + Exile for the Mule Kick Records extravaganza. Co-founders KP Hawthorn and Adrienne Isom have spent much of the last year wrapping up their film on the legendary North Hollywood venue, the Palomino. For a decade the club became the epicenter of the cowpunk scene, so the Mule Kick partners dedicated most of the afternoon as a tribute to those early days. Artists paying homage to those outsiders who heavily influenced what became outlaw country included Chuck Mead, Jade Jackson, Lilly Hiatt, Andrew Leahy, Jon Latham, and Alice Waters. Jason Ringenberg himself capped things off. The evening continued the hot streak with Jaimee Harris at The Basement along with the band on her upcoming album who drove in from Oklahoma for the set. Nathan Evans Fox turned in a killer set at the Blue Room and I finished up with another dose of Steve Poltz, this time at 3rd & Lindsley. Unusually for Poltz, he had several guests accompany him vocally on songs that included, of course, a story about them; Jaimee Harris, Mary Gauthier, and Jim Lauderdale.
With another AmericanaFest now in the books, I can’t wait for next year.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.