Head up Northern Californians, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival is on for this weekend (Fri, Oct 3rd - 10:30am - Noon & 2:30pm - 6:45pm & Sat Oct 4th 10:45am - 7:15pm - Sun Oct 5th, 2008 - 11am - 7pm) at the Speedway, Lindley & Marx meadows in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA.

The three day event has 5 stages featuring artists like Jimmie Dale Gilmore,  the Waco Brothers, Richard Thompson, Three Girls & Their Buddy (Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin & Buddy Miller), The Del McCoury Band, Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes, Guy Clark & Verlon Thompson, Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Elvis Costello’s High Whines & Spirits, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Infamous Stringdusters, Alison Brown Quartet with Joe Craven, Justin Townes Earle and so much more!

If you see mw at the show make sure t say “Hi” and save me a spot near the stage!

The Village Voice has a Q&A with Jon Langford of the Waco Brothers and the Mekons (playing the Highline Ballroom this evening.) Langford talks about the Waco Brother’s beginnings, his time on Bloodshot Records and their recent release Waco Express: Live & Kickin’ at Schuba’s Tavern.

Waco Brothers, “Death of Country Music”

Add to the list of festivals I have yet to attend but want to Saint Louis, MO’s 4-day Twangfest (June 4-7, presented by KDHX 88.1 FM .) Twangfest is on it’s 12th year of providing fine alt.country to the lucky folks that live in the area or can make the trek. This years line up is a doozy.

Wednesday, June 4

The Schlafly Tap Room
2100 Locust Street at 21st
St. Louis, MO 63103
314.241.BEER
General admission; doors open at 7:00 PM.

Chuck Prophet
Centro-matic
The Builders & The Butchers

Thursday, June 5

The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
6504 Delmar
St. Louis, MO 63103
314.727.0880
General admission; doors open at 7:00 PM.
Friday, June 6

The Gourds
Charles Walker & The Dynamites
Deadstring Brothers

The Pageant
6161 Delmar Blvd
St Louis, MO 63112
314.726.6161
General admission; doors open at 7:00 PM.
Saturday, June 7

Old 97’s
Hayes Carll
Miles Of Wire

Off Broadway
3511 Lemp Ave
St Louis, MO 63118
314.773.3363
General admission; doors open at 7:00 PM.

The Waco Brothers
Ha Ha Tonka
the everybodyfields
Caleb Travers

Showing at the Yard Dog Gallery in Marfa, TX - Jon Lanford creates art that is at once old timey and edgy. Using old country music publicity photos and sheet music as source material is builds layers of visual and musical history.

Langford describes his painting technique as s “Long process of layering, scraping, minute attention to detail. Basically, I create a very unstable surface with acrylics and pastel on top of each other and work on top of that with Sharpies, felt pens, white out, gunk, snot and whatever comes to hand.”  A native of South Wales, Langford now lives in Chicago.

In addition to his art, Jon is an internationally known musician.  He is  a founding member of legendary British rock band the Mekons, who just celebrated their 30th anniversary; he has released 3 solo albums; and he plays with Chicago band the Waco Brothers.

Yard Dog Gallery
106 East San Antonio St
Marfa, TX 79843
432-729-3303

and

Yard Dog
1510 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704
512.912.1613