Joog: The term juke, as in Juke Joint or Juke Box, is believed to derive from the Gullah word joog, meaning rowdy or disorderly. This is the blog for MyJoog.com - a listing of live music that anyone can update. Here we will focus on artists, venues, and shows that we experience through our travels. Visit MyJoog.com to find live music in your area. You can contact us at info (at) myjoog.com.
We arrived at Floydfest and settled in just in time for the Friday afternoon lineup. We had several bands on the agenda started with a rock band from Raleigh, American Aquarium. I had seen that they had toured with Sons of Bill and were opening for the Drive By Truckers later this year, so we wanted to check them out. They were just starting into a cover Springsteen's Thunder Road, and we came to find that they are a rock and roll band with the additional of a pedal steel. Makes a nice deviation in their sound. 
The band rocked through a few more songs just long enough to confirm that we would want to see them again - this time in the beer garden at midnight. Might be trouble. We took a beeline to the Main Stage to see the remainder of Deer Tick set; any band that combines elements of blues, folk, 
country - your basic American sound - is worthy of a listen. What a great sound. We returned to the Hill Holler stage to catch the rest of Cornmeal's performance. Love Allie Kral on the fiddle - she seems to bring smooth vocals and high energy to each show. This is basically a jam band in bluegrass clothing. I think the beginning of the Hill Holler dust bowl started with this set.
At this point we split, with one part going to the Beer Garden to see what the breweries have to offer and the other to the Main Stage again. I was the other and had received an email mentioning Konono No 1 - a band of Congolese players who play an unusual with their thumbs. Plus their sound system was built from old car parts. They weren't bad - nice percussion grooves - and the crowd was definitely in a dancing mood. I was in more of a beer mood and after a few songs headed to the Beer Garden to enjoy some hefeweisen. See our joint Wine-Compass coverage for the beers 
and wines on tap. I had missed Charlottesville native Travis Elliott and Richmond based Farm Vegas, but arrived in time to hear Do it to Julia. They were good - which shows how many talented groups are out their sweating in relative anonymity. But not any more, this band is on the radar. 
Apparently Travis Elliott is another to watch, he expanded from his normal singer-songwriter routine to include many Charlottesville-area musicians to form a rockin' band for the festival. Railroad Earth was coming quickly to the main stage, so after one more brew - it was off to the Main Stage. What else is there to say about this band. They are as talented as talented gets; and I've never seen a bad performance. And Amen Corner
has never left the iPod. They played several from this CD as well as many classics - just another great performance.
We left a tad prematurely in order to hook up with the Hackensaw Boys, whom we were planning to feature throughout the festival. We had heard of this band for years, downloading a few songs here and there; but this is a band to see live. Raucous entertainment. We rushed back to the Beer Garden to say hello to find the entrance barred - power was out and so the garden had been cleared until power was restored. That meant good news and bad news. Good that we were not late and would see two other bands, bad that the night would now go into the late hours. In the meantime I just happened to strike up a conversation with Daniel Justin Smith, frontman for Big Daddy Love. The representatives from Foothills Brewery had actually recommended the band, so it was a nice coincidence. If only the beer was flowing. Once power was restored we realized how far behind schedule they were, starting off with some 70's funk and guitar from Soulhound. Soon Big Daddy Love was onstage and this was a real find, without the power outage we would have maybe heard their last song. The band plays Appalachian Rock™, a combination jam band, bluegrass, and roots-rock, sounds similar to some of the early raw Drive By Truckers - with some mountain instruments. I really enjoyed American Sycamore - honest songwriting from the mountains.
It was well past 1:00 AM when the Hackensaw Boys lined-up onstage - and I mean lined up - seven players in a row on the small stage. Co-founder David Sickman had rejoined the boys for the weekend and the band and crowd were ready to jam. And jam they did. An hour straight of organized chaos - sometimes you think they are out of control and then they stop and start in 
unison. And since practically each member contributes songs, you never know where the music will start. By 2:00 when the stage hands were ready to pack it in, and calls for an encore continued, the band complied to both and jumped into the crowd. They then performed three acoustic songs with fans collapsing into their protective circle. All proves that a live performance is a necessity. And it was time for bed.
Friday the 11th we follow up with our commitment to Travis and ventured downtown to the Nightclub 9:30 to see The Infamous Stringdusters open for Railroad Earth. This was a wise decision, not only getting to see two great bands, but also since it would probably be the last time the Stringdusters routed through the area in a while - they have a left coast tour scheduled for early next year. The venue was packed when I arrived and the opening band looked at ease, but excited, to be playing for about two thousand people. For many of these in attendance, it was their first chance to hear the Stringdusters and from the rumblings I overheard - it was a positive first impression. Even Travis mentioned it seemed like a first date - ready to move on to that second glass of wine. And I just don't know how many times I can comment their style - solos - surrounded by the other players - duos - and also entire band together. They played some newer material this evening including "Good in the Kitchen" which I last heard recorded by Bearfoot - but they heard it from Danny Barnes. In any case, The Infamous Stringdusters are a fun band to watch.
I admit that I'm a relative newbie to the Railroad Earth train - having followed them for only 2 1/2 years after seeing them at FloydFest. But their latest CD, Amen Corner, is one of the best of 2009 - every song is a hit. But watching them live is where you can truly appreciate them as musical geniuses. Todd Sheaffer is the conductor, fronting most of the songs, playing a mean guitar himself, and subtly instructing the other band members when to take a solo. Tim Carbone is perhaps the most famous member - known as a violin virtuoso. My favorite part of the show is watching Andy Goessling play any number of instruments. By the end of the first set he had matched every one used by the Stringdusters save the Fiddle - and during the second set brought out the pennywhistle. Let's see; the guy can play the acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin and didn't even bring out the sax or flute. Amazing. John Skehan on mandolin and Carey Harmon on percussion round out the band along with bassist Johnny Grubb - who is leaving the band after this year to spend more time with his family. He will be missed. Over two sets and into the early morning of the next day Railroad Earth showed why they may surpass the Allman Brothers as the heirs to the Grateful Dead crowd. Their were plenty of Dead Heads in attendance - as well as former hippies turned yuppies and a new contingent of youngsters. Could to see this generation appreciating quality music instead of the crap emitted by pop culture. It was also nice to see Andy Hall brought onstage to add his dobro skills to the sound. Wish I could travel north for the next two shows. Great show.
On Thursday April 19th we skipped March Madness and saw an awesome show at The Birchmere by two acts we have really come to admire: Crooked Still and Railroad Earth. This was also the first opportunity to see each act at an actual venue and not a festival.
and Shaken by a Low Sound
including Undone In Sorrow; Captain, Captain; Tell Her To Come Back Home; Oh, Agamemnon; Can't You Hear Me Callin'; and the ever popular Oxford Town. They also sprinkled in a couple new originals (Cold Mountains was one) as well as covers from Robert Johnson, Gillian Welch and Neil Young. This was a great show, given to a large, sold out audience; we can't wait for festival season., which we think is their best effort since Bird in a House
. And this performance they played some of our favorite songs from the album: Been Down This Road; Crossing The Gap; and Bringin' My Baby Back Home. But it was finally hearing them at an indoor venue that really opened my eyes - and ears. Each artist in the band is an amazing musician and this is easily overlooked at festivals when the music just spreads out. But indoors, close you eyes and within the bands overall sound you can hear each distinct contributer: John Skehan (mandolin), Tim Carbone (violin), Johnny Grubb (upright bass), Carey Harmon (drums), and Andy Goessling on everything (acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro, lap slide guitar, pennywhistle). The overall sound is orchestrated by frontman Todd Sheaffer whose unassuming style allows the other band members to take center stage. But make no mistake, Sheaffer is in control - here and there he will give a subtle indication and Skehan start improving on the madolin, or Carbone on the violin. All the while, he retains a constant grin showing that he enjoys his job and appreciates his band mates.
