Two Williams to headline 2013 Rhythm & Roots: Lucinda and Keller

As if I needed more incentive to attend the 2013 Rhythm & Roots festival, the came out this week with another stellar lineup.  From September 20^th-22^nd, the streets of Bristol Tennessee and Virginia will be packed with fans listening to the top names in Americana, Country, Bluegrass, Blues Indie-rock, and even celtic-punk courtesy of Enter the Haggis. Besides the obvious headliners, we will be targeting Chris Smither, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Elephant Revival, Paul Thorn, The Apache Relay, Della Mae, Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line, The New Familiars, Ed Snodderly, Woody Pines, Roger Rasnake, Scotty Melton, James McMurtry - as well as any other of the following acts the we stumble upon.


Lucinda Williams
Keller Williams
Masters of Bluegrass
Deer Tick
Blitzen Trapper
Colin Hay
Iris Dement
Hayes Carll
JD McPherson
James McMurtry
Paul Thorn
Scythian
The Apache Relay
The David Mayfield Parade
Travelin' McCourys, The
The Black Lillies
Shovels and Rope
Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out
Hey Rosetta
Della Mae
Pokey Lafarge and The South City Three
The Claire Lynch Band
Chatham County Line
Spirit Family Reunion
Levon Helm Tribute Show
Marty Raybon and Full Circle
Balsam Range
Elephant Revival
Enter the Haggis
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Chris Smither
Folk Soul Revival
The Quebe Sisters
Red Molly
Bronze Radio Return
Whitey Morgan and the 78's
Sol Driven Train
Uncle Lucius
American Aquarium
Rayland Baxter
Breaking Grass
Carolina Road
Dave Eggar & Deoro with Hammerstep
Field Report
Detour
The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band
Nora Jane Struthers & The Party Line
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Revelers, The
Whiskey Gentry
Burning Bridget Cleary
Donna Ulissee
Frank Fairfield
Delta Reign
Bawn in the Mash
Erick Baker
Brothers Comatose, The
Caitlin Rose
Cactus Blossoms, The
Chicago Farmer
The New Familiars
Hey Marseilles
James Justin & Co.
Old Man Luedecke
Two Man Gentlemen Band
River Whyless
St Paul & The Broken Bones
Cumberland River
Defibulators, The
Ed Snodderly
Nightflyer
Virginia Luthiers, The
Cumberland Gap Connection
Blair Crimmins & The Hookers
Dale Jett
Dirty Bourbon River Show
This Mountain
Woody Pines
Duty Free
Harlow Experience, The
Miss Tess and the Talkbacks
Lizzy Ross Band
L Shape Lot
Old Line Skiffle Combo
Paul Burch
Tillers, The
Successful Failures, The
Annabelle's Curse
Hermit Kings, The
Leah Gardner
Corduroy Road, The
Barlow Gin & The Hatchetmen
Amber Rubarth Trio feat. Dave Eggar
Breaking Tradition
Bryan Elijah Smith & The Wild Hearts
If Birds Could Fly
Jon Stickley Trio
A Great Disaster
Wise Old River
Black Iron Gathering, The
ETSU Old Time Pride Band
ETSU Bluegrass Band
Sheets Family Band
Black Twig Pickers, The
Republik Steel
Cutthroat Shamrock
Dori Freeman
Honey Badgers, The
High Jump Heart, The
These Undowners
Scotty Melton
Earth by Train
Jack and the Bear
Ron Short and The Possum Playboys
JP Parsons
Mis'ry Creek
Still House
Al Scorch
Lore
Mountain Park Old Time Band
Nikki Talley
Roger Rasnake
Scratch River Telegraph Company
Amythyst Kiah
Annie Robinette
Beth Snapp
Craig Street Ramblers
Empty Bottle String Band
Jess Nunley
Kim Lyons
Rickshaw Roadshow
Rose Sisters, The
Wayne Graham
Whiskey Incident, The
Alli Epperson
Amazed by Grace
Dave Haney & Lisa Baldwin
Hart Creek
Honaker FFA Bluegrass Band
Mischief in the Meadow
Rex Montgomery

Indie Beer & Music at the 9:30 Club

During this week, hundreds of craft brewers have invaded Washington D.C. for the 2013 Craft Brewer's Conference and many of these individuals and other members of the Brewer's Association were on hand Wednesday night when the The Feelies played at the 9:30 Club. Sam Calagione, owner of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, is a fan of the band and sponsored the show by supplying about a dozen of their unique brews at a nice price - $5 a beer. And before the show Calagione gave a short speech, first thanking the 9:30 Club for being one of the brewery's first clients in DC, and then encouraging and thanking the audience in support of the craft beer industry. Even with the industry growing, they still only represent 6% of total beer sales, with the mass produced breweries taking 83% (imports represent the remaining 11%).  He also discussed the common characteristics between indie music and indie beer: the self promotion, self distribution, word of mouth marketing.... The music and show were great. Awesome rhythms and guitar paired with 60 Minute,  Raison D'être, and Burton Baton, a 10% abv bomb where the ale is aged in oak. But so, so smooth. Probably had one or two too many......cheers to indie beer and music.

Beer-Music-Mash-Ups in D.C. During Craft Brewers Conference

Starting the week of March 25th, the D.C. metro area will be inundated with craft beer as the city hosts the annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Now the CBC is primarily focused on beer professionals - particularly the craft brewer's themselves -so why should laymen really care? Well for starters, dozens of craft brewers are ready showcase their beers at area bars and restaurants. That means RFD, Churchkey, Birch & Barley, Jake Rose, The Black Squirrel, Smith Commons, Meridian Pint, and all the rest will be hosting tap takeovers and beer dinners each night after the conference. Check out DCBeer for a complete schedule. But most importantly, craft brewers are pairing with local music venues to showcase their brews during several Beer-Music-Mash-Ups. Alright! And many of these are regional pairings like the Cris Jacobs Band with Heavy Seas Brewing Company and The Infamous Stringdusters with Devils Backbone Brewing Company.

9:30 Club
3/27: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery presents The Feelies
3/28: Flying Dog Brewery presents "Festival De Cans" with Escort
3/29: Devils Backbone Brewing Company & All Good present The Infamous Stringdusters

The Hamilton
3/25: New Belgium Brewing Company presents Elephant Revival
3/26: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company presents The Mother Hips
3/27: Abita Brewing Company presents The Revivalists 
3/28: Heavy Seas Brewing Company  presents Cris Jacobs Band
3/29: Brooklyn Brewery  presents Here We Go Magic

The Back Cat
3/27: DC Brau Brewing, Ska Brewing Company, and Country Malt Group presents: The Pietasters

Celebrate Summer in Dover at the Firefly Music Festival

It's close to home and I've never been so I'm contemplating the beginning of Summer by heading to Dover Delaware and the Firefly Music Festival. It's not cheap, now that early bird ticketing has expired ($258); but a stellar lineup sort of compensates. Check out the headliners: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Vampire Weekend and Foster the People. Plus Dogfish Head Craft Brewery crafts a pale ale just for the festival - the Firefly Ale. Happy sipping & listening.....

Red Hot Chili Peppers * Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers * Vampire Weekend * Foster the People * Yeah Yeah Yeahs * The Avett Brothers * Calvin Harris * Passion Pit * MGMT * Ellie Goulding * Dispatch * The Lumineers * Kendrick Lamar * Alabama Shakes * Grizzly Bear * Edward Sharpe * Big Gigantic * Matt & Kim * Azealia Banks * Jim James * Zedd * Public Enemy * Dr. Dog * The Joy Formidable * The Walkmen * Japandroids * Krewella * Amanda Palmer * Toro Y Moi * LP * Atlas Genius * Django Django * Dan Deacon * Crystal Fighters * Dragonette Manufactured Superstars * Action Bronson * Youngblood Hawke * Wild Belle * The White Panda * ZZ Ward * St. Lucia * Lord Huron * HAIM * Foxygen * Capital Cities * A Silent Film * Kopecky Family Band * The Apache Relay * The Chevin * Selah Sue * Twenty One Pilots * Blondfire * The Royal Concept * Chvrches * Kishi Bashi * The Neighbourhood * Imaginary Cities * Robert DeLong * Conner Youngblood * JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound * Delta Rae * Hey Marseilles * Young Empires * The Last Bison * Wheeler Brothers * Sister Sparrow * The Spinto Band * Leagues * Trails and Ways * The Last Royals

SunFest Announces 2013 Lineup

Our favorite south Florida festival, Sunfest, announced their 2013 lineup today with a rock heavy set of headliners including Train, the Smashing Pumpkins, The Black Crowes, and Slightly Stoopid. Check out the image for the full lineup and the website for the schedule. The festival is also running a March MoneySaver campaign that equates to $55 for a five day pass. Now that's a bargain. See you in the Palm Beaches.

Album Review: The Ten Foot Polecats - Undertow

We've been following the "punk-blues" of the Ten Foot Polecats for a number of years now and are extremely excited that they finally released a new CD of all original material. This is Undertow; a collection of songs that reminded me why I first started listening to the jump blues of Rod Piazza or Little Charlie & the Nightcats long ago. Pure energy; from the harp, guitar, and drums. Apparently that's all you need. Based out of their native New England, the trio styles there sound further south to the Northern Mississippi hill country.  In the CD you can perceive subtle hints of Son House, Charley Patton, R. L. Burnside, and Mississippi John Hurt. Or in the more contemporary world, the first and third tracks (Do That Thing and Out in the Rain) sound like a combo between The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band and Little Ed & the Blues Imperials.  You know that's an energetic, crazy, fun sound. Fortunately they slowed the pace down in Worried Sick as the opening tracks were almost exhausting - yea I'm getting old. Up next is the title track in which this instrumental also brings a dose of the past sounding like Danny Gatton and his "blazing telecaster". Chilson sure gets a wide array of sound out of his custom made wood box guitar. The remainder of the CD oscillates between this blistering pace to a more melodic slow burner - giving listeners like me a chance to catch their breath.  As you can image, this is a fun CD - pair with a Narragansett Beer and a dance floor.

Beer Review: Starr Hill Brewing Monticello Reserve Ale

Courtesy of Starr Hill Brewing

If you've been to Floydfest or Delfest or Rhythm & Roots, Bonnaroo or any assortment of East Coast festivals, you are probably familiar with the large black, red, and tan(?) star(r) in full display in the beer garden. If you've ever visited Charlottesville Virginia, you may have witnessed a concert sponsored by this brewery. Or been poured one of their beers. Of course I'm referring to Starr Hill Brewing. And, as Master Brewer Mark Thompson once told me, "Music and beer is what Starr Hill does". Ain't that the truth. Nothing like drinking a Starr Hill and listening to Scott Miller or the Hackensaw Boys on the Floydfest Pink Floyd Garden Stage. Another Charlottesville musician, Peyton Tochterman, is also a Starr Hill fan, particularly their Monticello Reserve Ale - which we reviewed on MyJoogTV last year. This seasonal brew is the official beer of Monticello and brewed using ingredients Thomas Jefferson likely used two centuries ago: wheat, corn, and East Kent Goldings hops. And some of the hops were harvested from the Monticello property. The hops are very subtle, adding a citrus element to the sweet honey flavor. As with the colonial style it resembles a cask ale, with the lighter carbonation releasing as the beer warms. This is a fresh, clean beer - only wish they had some available at summer concerts. Cheers.