Later this week I’m headed to Austin for the 30th edition of Old Settler’s Music Festival. Â In addition to the normal, stellar list of established and up-and-coming acts, there will be a hidden gem late morning on Saturday, the Youth Talent Competition. Â Most major Americana festivals these days have a talent competition, so why do […]
SXSW 2017 – Say What?!
One of my favorite things about SXSW (well, after the music) are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from SXSW 2017. I hope your life has meaning after SXSW. Har Mar Superstar There’s a fine line between radical folk, punk rock and kumbaya. Otis Gibbs This […]
Monday Morning Video – Brent Cowles
Brent Cowles has lived a musical lifetime in his 27 years. The Denver-based singer-songwriter tasted some success with You Me & Apollo before that group’s demise in 2014. A few years down the road he has returned with Cold Times, his solo debut. The ep finds him exploring new ground, trading his acoustic guitar for […]
SXSW 2017, The Sounds – Part 3
MATTHEW LOGAN VASQUEZ The former (?) Delta Spirit frontman sure likes to rock. I caught him a few times over the week and it he fired up the crowd each time. He suffered from poor sound at one show, but the energy carried him through. Like many an artist, he was showcasing songs from the […]
Bill & Joel Plaskett – Solidarity
Joel Plaskett is well known to Canadian music fans; his father probably less so, but a defining character of the eastern Canada folk scene nonetheless. Â So when they decided to do an album together, the odds were stacked in their favor. Â What was targeted as a musical project they could unite on, hence the title, […]
SXSW 2017 – The Sounds, Part 2
AUSTIN LUCAS Lucas snuck into Austin to play a single afternoon solo acoustic show. To say that he attacked his guitar wouldn’t be an overstatement. He alternated between channeling Johnny Cash in his fiery moments and Blaze Foley’s mellow stylings. It was a powerful performance from start to finish. RON GALLO Gallo was a contender […]
Monday Morning Video – Drive-By Truckers “Gimme Some Truth”
I caught the Drive-By Truckers over the weekend and, true to form, they delivered an epic guitar-driven onslaught. The setlist leaned heavily on their most recent album, the politically charged American Band, alongside more than a few fan favorites. Among the highlights was this searing take on John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth.”
SXSW 2017 – The Sounds, Part 1
LANGHORNE SLIM This was the best of the best, my favorite musical moment of the week. Langhorne Slim sitting in a chair on the floor, the audience arrayed cross-legged on the floor around him. A campfire festival without the campfire. His late-night performance was a freewheeling gem that included a few impromptu requests, all delivered […]
Eric Bibb – Migration Blues
The plight of troubled people on the move seeking a new, safe home is the theme of Eric Bibb’s heartfelt Migration Blues. It tells the tale of various peoples – refugees and migrants – who have hit the road to escape violence or grinding hardship. With the album, Bibb says he hopes to “encourage us all […]
Monday Morning Video – Play Ball!
Forget the groundhog, the surest sign of spring is the arrival of a new baseball season. Sure, you may be tempted to say Spring Training is the milestone moment, but the weather will often step in to say otherwise. (Heck, there’s a reason Spring Training takes place in Florida and Arizona.) Many of you will […]