Saturday, July 16, 2016

It's Not Too Early to Plan for the 2016 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion

Frequent readers will know that the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is one of our favorite music festivals. (See past coverage.) Where else can you enjoy live music at a large outdoor pavilion or inside a coffee shop or perhaps an historic theater or a billiards hall. Only in Bristol Tennessee and Virginia. And the price for a 3 day ticket ranges from an early bird $50 for three days to only $100 at the gate. In addition to headliners Loretta Lynn and Buddy Guy, the lineup is spectacular as listed below with special attention to Cracker, Hayes Carll, Darrell Scott, Scythian, Blair Crimmins & the Hookers, Mike Farris, and The Tillers. Hope to see you there.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Delfest Single Day Tickets Now Available

Delfest, the three day music festival running over Memorial Day Weekend is now selling single day tickets ($60) as their 4 day package is sold out. This Bluegrass-Americana based festival is held at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, MD (2.5 hrs from Baltimore and DC). The lineup is crazy good with Del McCoury and The Travelin' McCourys headlining as usual. Then I'd be following
Tedeschi Trucks Band, Railroad Earth, Sam Bush Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Wood Brothers The Infamous Stringdusters feat. Nicki Bluhm, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Cabinet, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, Dale Ann Bradley, Elephant Revival, Aoife O’Donovan plus many more excellent artists.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Album Review: Hackensaw Boys - Charismo

The last two days I've listened to an advanced copy of the Hackensaw Boys upcoming album Charismo. It is produced by Larry Campbell who was the ringleader of Levon Helm's band it's last few years. The album will drop on Tax Day by Free Dirt Records and I recommend using your refund to procure this release. The band has evolved over the years with the current iteration a trio consisting of founder David Sickmenn, who returned after a long hiatus in 2012, festival favorite Ferd Moyse, and Brian Gorby, who inherited the album's namesake - the Charismo - from Justin Neuhardt. 

The songs on Charismo are all original written by Sickmen and Moyse and a good ear can distinguish them. There's more sophistication and maybe more seriousness to the songs, and not the jamming thrillers we loved at festivals. But the harmonies are still killer. The opening track "Don't Bet Against Me" is in my opinion the best track with "Happy For Us in the Down" and "Flora" two more favorites. Festival goers will want to listen to "Limousin Lady". As much as I'd like to pair this album with Veritas Winery, where the band plays often, but Starr Hill Brewery seems a better option. Cheers.