As I noted yesterday, the Folk Alliance International conference is one of my annual highlights. A big reason for that is the vast offering of musical performances; last year there were over 150 official showcases, and over 1000 private showcases in just 4 days. This year probably topped that. Clearly I didn’t make it to all of them, but here are some of the highlights of what I did see.
Best New Finds: There are always some new surprises in the showcases, whether a performer you heard about from other attendees, or sometimes just a serendipitous visit to a room between other things on the schedule. Two groups in that category blew me away this year. The first was Bandits on the Run. Comprising three friends who met busking in the NYC subways, the band’s instrumentation is primarily cello, suitcase drum, guitar, and accordion. All three members sing lead and harmony in an indie/folk/pop style. They are, in a word, magnetic. My other discovery was Larry and Joe. Joe is Joe Troop, of Che Appalachia fame, while Larry is Larry Bellorin, a Venezuelan multi-instrumentalist seeking asylum in the U.S. They have a stage presence that belies the short time they’ve been touring together. As for the music, I guess technically it’s Latin/American folk music. But imagine bluegrass with banjo, harp, and maracas. It’s mind-blowing.
Old Favorites: I’ve seen some acts enough times I have a pretty good expectation of what I’m going to see. Yet they consistently exceed expectations. Adrian + Meredith added a dozen backup singers to finish their set of punk/polka. Phoebe Hunt has a new stripped down sound that reminds you why she’s such a stellar singer/fiddler. Steve Poltz was Steve Poltz, and if you know, you know. Jaimee Harris previewed her new album, and there’s a complexity to the songs that goes beyond her previous work. I caught Amy Speace a couple of times, and I’m thankful she didn’t follow an urge a few years ago to hang it up.
Other Highlights: Alice Howe and Freebo knocked it out of the park with songs from her upcoming album. Irish acoustic music trio The Magpies finished a delightful set with a raucous bluegrass version of the Eurythmics hit, Sweet Dreams. Speaking of Celtic sounds, Talisk raised the roof with their official showcase and had the crowd dancing in the aisles. The Rough and Tumble brought their dog Mud Puddle to their official showcase, and their comfortable style of folk to a private show. Perhaps the most unexpected thing I saw was an in-the-round event. The Scooches were there and started doing a jazzy back up vocal while Jackson Emmer was singing a country ballad, turning the whole thing into a cowboy doo-wop number. Simply amazing.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.