Category Archives: Festivals

First Ever No Depression Festival Lineup Announcement

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The news of No Depression’s death have been  greatly exaggerated. In the wake of their widely successful community website the purveyors of all things Americana/roots/alt.country will hold the first ever (that’s hard to believe) all-day festival Featuring Patterson Hood & The Screwtopians, Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Seattle Roots-Music All-Star Revue, and Zee Avi. The festivities take place Saturday, July 11 at Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA.

Tickets, $45.00 (not including applicable fees), are on sale Friday, May 15th at noon at all Ticketmaster outlets.

Festival News

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  • Charlottesville, VA’s 6 Day Bender has embarked on their Spring/Summer East Coast tour, They are stopping by two of my favorite clubs in the New York area – Hank’s Saloon in Brooklyn and Arlene’s Grocery in New York City. Go support this fine band!
  • MerleFest 2009, scheduled for April 23-26 on the campus of Wilkes Community College, will once again host the MerleFest Mandolin Contest, the Merle Watson Bluegrass Banjo Championship and the Doc Watson Guitar Championship on the first two days of the festival in Alumni Hall.  These contests offer aspiring pickers some time in the spotlight to be heard by the wildly appreciative audiences at the festival, along with a chance to compete for prizes.
  • Speaking of festivals Twangfest 13 will be held June 10-13, 2009 in St. Louis: Woot!”  Saint LouisOUIS, MO curretlty have conformation for Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Boys, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles, Bruce Robison and Eilen Jewell with more on the way. Check thier website for more news.
  • The 11th Pickathon Indie Roots Music Festival July 31-August 2 just outside Portland, OR. will feature Blitzen Trapper, The Sadies,  Dale Watson, The Hackensaw Boys, Justin Townes Earle, Elliott Brood, Joe Pug and many other great acts.
  • The the 6th annual Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival June 4th – 7th at the Mulberry Mountain in Ozark AR. will feature the Yonder Mountain String Band, Split Lip Rayfield, Lucero, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Blue Mountain, Cross Canadian Ragweed and many more.
  • And though not strictly a roots music festival San Francisco’s second Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival will feature Band of Horses, Bettye LaVette, the Heartless Bastards, Ryan Bingham and Tom Jones (?!)

Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Leon Russell, Doug Kershaw

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More YouTubes goodies…

Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Leon Russell, and Doug Kershaw play Hank Wwilliam’s “Jambalia” – 1974 Willie Nelson’s 2nd Annual 4th Of July Picnic. Bryan/College Station, TX

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H6me1FSPb8[/youtube]

First Annual Ray Wylie Hubbard Grit-N-Groove Festival

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Ray Wylie Hubbard has always done things his own way. So after years of being asked to steward a festival he always put it off. Until now…

Hubbard has invited his favorite artists to play the First Annual Ray Wylie Hubbard Grit-N-Groove Festival to be held on Saturday April 4th in Luckenbach Texas (where else?!) From the poster design to the seating layout he has been involved in every aspect to ensure his festival has the grit and groove we have all come to expect and love about him. The vibe will be acoustic throughout the day with The Band of Heathens and Ray and his band closing the evening with full rockin’ band sets.

The concert will be held in the dance hall with seating on a first come first serve basis.

SXSW To Do

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It’s been a long time since I was able to attend the coveted, and now convoluted, South-By-Southwest music festival and conference amnd this year is no exception. But in the nature of bloggy goodwill I will try and list all the Americana-Roots events I have come across. Please feel free to add any I might have missed.

Joe Pug is pretty damn cool. His schedule is:

3/18   SXSW–Stimulus Package Day Party @ Paradise – 3:00pm  (401 E. 6th at Trinity upstairs Free/Public)
3/18   SXSW Official Showcase – 10:30pm Victorian Room at the Driskell Hotel
3/19   SXSW–Schubas Roundup @ Yard Dog Gallery – 12:40pm (1501 S. Congress Free/Public)
3/19   SXSW–Thru Windows Party @ Fado -  11:00pm (214 W. 4th Free/Public)
3/20   SXSW–Bring Down the House Show  – 5:45pm  (Free–email day of  show for address don@nodooragency.com)
3/21   SXSW–Reggie’s/Unscene Party @ The Jackalope – 3:45pm and 4:40pm (Free/Public 404 E. 6th at Trinity)

3/18  – Joe Ely’s playing Momo’s

3/19 Aquarium Drunkard and My Old Kentucky Blog’s “Vaya Con Tacos” party featuring Roadside Graves, Those Darlins, The Rosebuds and many more.

Also 3/19  the Yep Roc at the Continental Club is offering one of the best showcases with Dave Alvin, The Iguanas, The Gourds, Giant Sand and BeauSoleil.

3/20 The always lovely Bloodshot Records day party at Yard Dog art gallery (1510 S Congress) – starts at the crack of noon
No invite or badge required!
12:15 Walter Salas-Humara / I’m Not Jim
12:45 Andre Williams
1:15 Charlie Pickett
1:45 Dex Romweber Duo
2:15 Ha Ha Tonka
2:45 Exene Cervenka
3:30 Deadstring Brothers
4:15 The Meat Purveyors
4:45 Justin Townes Earle
5:15 Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
5:45 Waco Brothers w/ Rosie Flores

and

Bloodshot Records SXSW showcase
Red Eyed Fly (715 Red River by 7th Street)
Saturday, March 21
8p Exene Cervenka
9p Deadstring Brothers
10p Ha Ha Tonka
11p Dex Romweber Duo
Mid Justin Townes Earle
1am Waco Brothers

Hoist a shiner and some BBQ or a taco and enjoy the fine music and hospitality Austin offers.

DelFest and Pickathon News

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  • The deadline for discounted tickets for DelFest has been extended until March 2nd at midnight. Some of Bluegrass’ best will be featured at the 3-day festival- Sam Bush, Old Crow Medicine Show, Leftover Salmon, JD Crowe & The New South, The Lee Boys as well as headliner legendary Del McCoury and more. The festival takes place Memorial Day Weekend, May 22-24th on the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, Maryland.
  • The 11th annual Pickathon Indie Roots Music Festival, which takes place  just outside Portland, OR.,  has released their new website and festival line-up which includes Blitzen Trapper ,  The Sadies, Dale Watson, Justin Townes Earl, Those Darlins and Joe Pug.  Pickathon takes place July 31-August 2.
  • Now a little love for my old hood New York City.  The always excellent and lovely Joe Whyte will big show with his  band and will be featuring some new tunes. It’s on Monday, March 2 and it’s  free show at Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen St., NYC) Go, you won’t be disappointed.

Neko Case to Stream Concert from Amsterdam

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  • Neko Case has posted a bulletin on her MySpace page that she will be featured on FabChannel.com for a live streamed concert from Amsterdam. The concert will be broadcast live on that website this Sunday morning, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific. According to the bulletin, “If you aren’t able to catch the live stream, keep checking back to FabChannel as they’ll be posting the entire performance for streaming next week!” Case will also be playing 2009’s  Bonnaroo Festival in in Manchester, Tennessee.
  • Rachel Brooke has been working with Mr. Lonesome Wyatt from Those Poor Bastards on a full length album called it “A Bitter Harvest”.  It has a May release date and will be available on CD and Viny.

Until then Rachel has these tour dates coming up:
Mar 6 2009
Metrotimes Blowout! @ Carbon Lounge. Rachel and Junk, Switchblade Justice, Mantons, and Jason Croff Hamtramck, Michigan

Mar 26 2009
The Painted Lady, with Junk and Switchblade Justice Hamtramck, Michigan

Mar 27 2009
CS3 (Calhoun St.) with the Sour Mash Kats, the B-Sharps, and Paul Kuhlhorst Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Mar 28 2009
Shady Nook with Blue Collar Bastards Saybrook, Illinois

Mar 29 2009
TBA Kirksville, Missouri

Mar 31 2009
Players 5th Street Pub and Jon Jackson, TBA Quincy, Illinois

Apr 1 2009
Scagnoli’s Cajun and BBQ Lafayette, Indiana

Apr 3 2009
Annabell’s with the Misery Jackals! Akron, Ohio

Apr 4 2009
Molly Malone’s with The Misery Jackals, Wonky Tonk, Frontier Folk Nebraska Cincinnati, Ohio

Apr 5 2009
FooBar with the Misery Jackals and Dave Smith and the Country Rebels Nashville, Tennessee

Americana Music Festival Chooses Artists

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The Americana Music Association, working in partnership with Sonicbids, has selected the first two showcase artists for the upcoming Americana Music Festival (which will be held September 16-19, 2009 in Nashville, TN).

Brigid Kaelin made the front page of The Tennessean on her very first day playing Nashville, daring to play the accordion to country music during the 2007 Nashville Star finals. Last May, she wrote Elvis Costello a note offering her services as an Imposter, and he invited her to play live with his band without rehearsal. Dueling head-to-head accordion solos with keyboardist Steve Nieve, she later received several standing ovations during her musical saw solo.

Kaelin is a trained jazz pianist who played show tunes at West Village cabarets while a student at New York University. She released a country Chanukah record “Mazel Tonk!”

Jacob Simpson (vocals, guitar), Chase McGill (vocals, guitar, banjo, piano) and Dustin Hedrick (violin) initially formed Come On Go With Us while studying at Mississippi State University.  With their strong Southern roots in mind, they embraced the idea of sweet tea, hot weather, family and friends, soon began the writing process and later took to the road. The band’s first full length album drops in March.

Applications for the 2009 Americana Music Festival will be accepted through Thursday, April 30, 2009.  You may submit your materials directly to the AMA office via mail. All submissions must include the application form. Information on the submission process and access to the application form may be found at the AMA Website.

Conference registrations currently at the early bird discount rate of $250 for members and $350 for non-members are available at the Americana Music Online Store.

Jeffrey Foucault to Release John Prine Covers Album

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  • There seems to be a bonanza of tribute albums coming out recently but few I’m really looking forward to, this is one of those, Jeffrey Foucault’s tribute to John Prine entitled: Moon Right Between the Eyes: Jeffrey Foucault Sings the Songs of John Prine. The album will drop on February 17th from Signature Sounds Recordings. You can hear cuts now at Foucault’s site.
  • The OCRegister.com’s Ben Wener posted a great review of the February 5th show at the Grove of Anaheim. The nights show was a make up gig that was originally to take place in early December. Hag canceled because, as he later revealed, he underwent surgery for lung cancer, ultimately having the diseased portion removed. In attendance for the performance was no other than Kris Kristofferson who was watching from the balcony.
  • Get those DVRs ready folks, The Drive By Truckers and Ryan Bingham will be tonight’s featured performers on Austin City Limits. Check you local directory for air times.
  • The mysterious guest to appear at this years Merlefest is none other than…Linda Ronstadt. Really, Linda Ronstadt? Really?

Chris Morris Returns with Hillbilly Deluxe

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  • MyWestTexas.com’s Jimmy Patterson  looks over the life of country music legend Waylon Jennings as a catalyst that changed the genre forever.
  • Chris Morris, the programmer for the defunct 103.1 country, blues, roots program “Watusi Rodeo,” has found a new venue online with  “Hillbilly Deluxe” on Scion Radio 17’s Web site.  The three-hour show streams continuously, so drop in and take a listen. There will be a new show posted every month. Great luck with the show Chris!
  • Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has announce the initial lineup for the eighth annual 2009 four-day camping and music festival held on June 11 – 14 on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville.  Some of the country and roots artist to perform are Wilco, Andrew Bird, Merle Haggard, The Del McCoury Band, Lucinda Williams, Neko Case, Jenny Lewis, Robert Earl Keen, Tift Merritt, Mike Farris , Todd Snider and The SteelDrivers.

Son Volt live at Bonnaroo 2006: Windfall

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcKqNZKoEzQ[/youtube]