9 Moments at Newport in Photo: 2013

Tickets went on sale, I wrote up my first "who I want to see" article (HERE), and now I am thinking back on the past few years of the greatest musical event on earth and wishing that July would get here quicker. While I can openly admit, most every second I spend at Fort Adams is a memorable one, there are those certain moments that stick with you clear as the reflection of boat masts in the water of Newport harbor. Those truly special moments that choke you up a bit, clear you from your daily woes, and make you just happy to be alive and able to enjoy all that this beautiful festival has to offer. Here is a recap of  9 of those moments for me from the 2013 Newport Folk Festival (in no particular order)...

1) Dan Blakeslee at the Museum Open Mic- I mentioned Mr. Blakeslee in my "folks I want to see at Newport in 2014" post yesterday, and seeing him in the museum with that banner flying behind him choked me up a bit (wasn't the first time, and wasn't the last at this festival). Dan is a born performer. I am pretty sure he was put here on this earth to make people smile, and make people smile he does. The sea of heads in the museum were locked dead ahead on him as he sang out. We must have run into each other a 100 times over the weekend, but stumbling into the middle of his song in the museum was by far the best encounter I had...and lucky enough to snap off a few photos of. I was also lucky enough to catch my friends Ian Fitzgerald and Courtney Gallagher when they hit the open mic stage earlier as well, which was quite the treat as well!

2) Mariachi in a tent in the rain - Feist was one of the acts my wife wanted to catch the most this
weekend and just like that, the skies opened up when she was about to play. That's alright though, we found a tent towards the back and settled in to listen from afar, that's when it happened. The gals with the instruments showed up to play the rain away (figuratively, that is... I mean the rain kept coming, they just made us happier about it). There must have been 50-60 folks crowded under a tent that no more than 30 could comfortably fit, but as the mariachi ladies sung and played it didn't matter. Your neighbor touching shoulders with you was your best friend for all you cared. It was a nice change of pace from my usual train ride when someone rubs against you and a perfect example of why NFF is so special and inviting.

3) Shovels and Rope "In the Pit" - Occasionally when I am "shooting" a set or a show I feel bad. I feel like one of those a-holes that is at an amazing show and is watching the entire thing through a two and a half inch screen to get a crappy iPhone video just so my friends know how cool I am and I was there. I say to those folks "live in the moment and put the phone down", but I guess as a media outlet you are there for a job. That being said, when Cary Ann and Michael stepped out on stage I snapped a handful of quick ones then took a knee in the pit and just watched and listened. I was lucky enough to be touching the stage for a job, but believe you me, I was there enjoying it for myself rather than taking pictures. I love these two, have ever since I saw them open for Hayes Carll and Jason Isbell years back when no one knew them and still do today. They absolutely knock my socks off.

4) Ramblin' Jack all by his Lonesome - I tell you, seeing Ramblin' Jack up there on that big stage, playing and telling stories to multiple generations of fans was really something. Top it all off with the fact that I got to watch with one of my best songwriting buddies, Ian and when I looked to my left Alynda from Hurray for the Riff Raff was hanging out and tossed me a "yes, I agree that this is pretty amazing" smile, it was a truly magical moment. Not to mention I got to shake the man's hand backstage and tell him how much I appreciate his storytelling. Whoooo weee, someone slap me.

5) Newport Loves Lamb - The outpouring of love for Dave brought tears to my eyes. It was wonderful, it was beautiful, it was just such a great example of how the fans really do love the performers at this festival and it is something special that is untouchable by other events. We love you Dave.








6) Bombino and my pal Avi - Avi is another one of these guys who just makes you smile. If you
look up "good vibes" in the dictionary, there is a picture of Avi's smiling face. I came across the harbor stage to hear some wonderful noises and look up to see his mop bouncing around on stage, blowing his harp along with Bombino. That lifted my heart right up and made me smile as wide as the 138 bridge coming into Newport.

7) The Berklee Gospel Choir - HALLELUJAH! I feel spirited, I feel lifted, I feel good! Talk about energy and celebrating life. I came out front behind the Fort stage to be greeted by these wonderful performers and stood there in a daze for a good 15 minutes just taking it all in.






8) Joe Fletcher in the Museum - Thank you Joe for introducing the Newport family to so many
amazing people and artists. I truly hope this is something that NFF adopts for all years going forward. Some sort of midday spanning collection of artists from Newport, Nashville, the Northeast...wherever. It was simply a wonderful way to introduce a lot of great artists in one big sweep. One place, one seat all day if you want, you get a ton of incredible music...I am sure one local music community advocate wouldn't mind putting something similar together, if you catch my drift.

9) Drawing a blank - Not really forgetting like drawing a blank, but this picture is blank. The reason for that is the set that I most thoroughly enjoyed from NFF 2013 I did not actually attend. That was the Milk Carton Kids. I for some idiotic reason did not make my way over to see these two guys despite all logical reasoning of why I should love them and they are like my musical, songwriting brethren. Long story short, I have probably listened to the archive of their set at least 50 times in the past 4 months. I have been made a fan of these two for life.

Newport Folk Festival 2014: Who do you want to see at the Fort?

Well, I got my Newport Folk Festival tickets today and figured it was as good a time as any to start 2014’s coverage here on the Red Line. Every year I anticipate that slow roll out of artists, each day seemingly holding a new pot of gold in the form of an artist I already love or know I am going to love. Today, I bring you my list (though I had to keep it somewhat short, otherwise I would go on all day!) of folks I hope to see on stage at this year’s folk fest.

Jason Isbell – A repeat offender, perhaps. But his performance blew me so far out of the water last year that I am still sailing through the air. I would even love to see him solo in the Museum (I left before he joined Amanda Shires last year for an interview and am still kicking my own ass!). I think that would be absolutely incredible. Isbell singing 'Elephant', his acoustic ringing through that reverberant room, while 100 people are in tears at the beauty. That to me would be a win.

Todd Snider – I have been a fan of Snider since I picked up a guitar. The man is the epitome of folk music. A traveling minstrel weaving tales, engaging crowd with or without his band, telling stories, and pulling you into the songs. Up on the fort stage or on a smaller, more intimate setting he would be positively an embodiment of NFF and what it stands for.

Aoife O’ Donovan – When I put this gal’s newest record on my “top 2013” list, I wasn’t lying. She has something about her that I can’t quite explain, but I am absolutely entranced by. Maybe it’s the bluegrassy thing, or the pretty girl with a guitar, a killer voice, and amazing songwriting thing…either way, the addition of this gal and her band to the fort this year would be a welcome one that I am sure folks would be calling their best surprise of the weekend.

Dan Blakeslee – You may have seen my buddy Dan toting his guitar around the grounds last year, singing in the museum at the open mic, or serenading the crowds as they boarded the ferry. Blakeslee is one of the most dedicated, hard working, and wonderful people and songwriters I know. His performances are energetic and enchanting. If you don’t know him, this man IS the Newport Folk Festival, or at least all of the good that it stands for. He is already a very engrained member of this family, but I would absolutely love to see him grace the stage this year.

Ian Fitzgerald and Courtney Gallagher- If you have ever read this blog, chances are you have seen

these names before. Good friends of mine and also two of the most gracious and talented people I know. Ian writes songs like no other songwriter I have come across and the way that he and Courtney compliment each other vocally is just beautiful. Their release this year “No Time To Be Tender” was number 2 on my favorite albums of 2013 and quite honestly was more like a tie for the first one (see above, Jason Isbell). Another example of wonderful people who would do the Newport stage justice.

Ok…I have one more pick that is fully, completely and totally self indulgent. A Red Line Roots presents Red Line, Red Dirt in the Museum stage. Basically, just a bunch of songwriters from the Boston area copying exactly what Joe Fletcher did last year with Nashville to Newport... Thanks, Joe. Getting a bunch of songwriters in for the price of one more or less…come on Newport, you know I love you!

Did you get your tickets yet? Who do you want to see this July at the Fort???

 

http://www.newportfolk.org/

Check Out This Record: Luke MacNeil "These Are Good Songs"

I got an email a few weeks back about this record and have been pushing it off sadly (apologies to Luke!). I mean, this idea really grabbed hold of me. An album full of covers of tunes that you feel the world needs to know about, both locally harvested and fruit plucked from the "higher point of the tree" (see: Ryan Adams). Regardless, I was really inspired by the idea that MacNeil had for this record. I think its great when one songwriter pays homage to people he respects and songs that he loves. Plus, the timing with our Red Line Iguana Grant project is pretty good right now as well...

 MacNeil has a raspy, gruff kind of voice. The production is pretty polished and shiny considering his gruff vocal, not quite as raw as I would love to hear with that voice, but it works. His voice is solid and he hits all of the right notes. He makes the songs that he is covering his own and adds his particular sonic quality that gives the record a very consistent flow and although the songs come from different writers, they are fit nicely together. The arrangements are great, very simple with simple, strongly picked acoustic guitar and voice driving the majority of the minutes on the record. Something I have grown to appreciate very much. Overall, a solid effort at a really amazing concept.

Check Luke out online at:

http://www.lukemacneil.com/category/music/

Digging Up Your Roots: Why Did You Start Making Music?

I put out a call for all you wonderful folks to clue me into what keeps you moving down this trail we call making music. Where does you inspiration come from? Why did you pick up an instrument in the first place? This is the first of our new Tuesday Feature "Digging Up Your Roots", which may not always be that same question but some formulation of where you came from and where you are heading. The fine folks below answered the first call...you all inspire me. So thank you!


Liz Frame (Liz Frame and the Kickers): I started making music at a very early age (9) and got serious about it at 14, when I first picked up the guitar. I was immediately hooked on the songwriting process, and loved how it made me feel -- like I had something to say! I was a loner anyway, so there was no better way to spend my time than by writing. today, I do what most songwriters do -- listen -- to other people's music, to conversations on the street, to my own muse. All of it inspires me to write, which I do pretty consistently. It's what I was born to do. 

http://www.lizframeandthekickers.com/

Dann Russo: I saw your post and it's a great question. When my dad was in college at NYU he opened for Bob Dylan at one of those Bleeker St clubs. I'm not even 100% if that actually happened or if i have told the story so much that even he believes it now, but it is entirely within the realm of possibility. He wrote songs and there was always music on in the house. I grew up singing CSN and Simon and Garfunkel harmonies and never really stopped. Now that I have my own songs and guitars, it is the greatest thrill when he says "Wow. That's really good." (Bob Dylan or no). And now, most of my songs come from being able to reflect seriously and honestly on my life so far - I'd say that Bruce Springsteen and Frank Turner have definitely had an influence on me, but so have people like Tom Bianchi and Tim Riordan who constantly push me to be better.

http://www.dannrusso.com/

Russell Turnquist (Rusted Bucket):  I started making music because I loved it and connected with it deeply, even as a small kid and finally my parents got me into some instruments - come middle school, I had formed a band with some friends and we were performing live and I wrote my first song. I often write songs as a way to process life for me, or for someone I have great empathy for; it is a very powerful tool in that regard. It might come from simple observations or direct first hand exposure, but regardless, the inspiration comes from an emotive place. And for whatever reason, I usually start with words and then work on sounds...

https://www.facebook.com/RustedBucketMusic 

Matt Robert: I started making music pretty early on, because it was a first love very early. A lot of my childhood memories center on music - specific works and specific moments. Bike riding in my neighborhood with my other elementary school friends screaming lyrics to "Behind Blues Eyes" and other cuts from Who's Next; bringing Jethro Tull's Aqualung into fourth grade music class. Recording Hendrix and Neil Young tunes with my first bandmates in eighth grade. I draw inspiration anywhere I can find it: thoughts triggered by TV ads and bad shows, actual moments from my life, and from another rich source: books. At least three of my songs are drawn from books I've read: "Wild Wind Blowing," "Ballad of Hortense and Clyde," and "The Fire." 

http://www.reverbnation.com/mattrobert

Allysen Callery: What was the reason you started making music? "My dad died & I took his guitar & ran away from home. where do you draw inspiration from now for songs? I use a lot of the formula of the British Isles tunes I was raised on , plus looking back into some of the older artists I was not exposed to until later with the internet - such as Anne Briggs & Nick Drake."

http://www.allysencallerymusic.com/



Pete Mancini (Butcher's Blind): I was fortunate enough to grow up in a very musical household, so I started making music at an early age. My first instrument was a cheap harmonica, a gift from my mother. I started figuring out songs like 'Grand Old Flag' just for fun. We always had great music playing around the house: Frankie Valli, The Beatles, Eric Clapton. We have a beautiful slightly out-of-tune piano my grandfather built when he worked for Hardman and Peck, and my mom would occasionally play some showtunes. It filled the entire house with a beautiful shakey sound. Eventually I took piano and violin lessons, but I was far too young to dedicate myself to a difficult instrument at that time. I bought a guitar after I saw Jack White play Seven Nation Army/Death Letter at the VMA's, and that was the instrument that finally stuck with me. I started writing songs after hearing Wilco's 'Theologians' back in 2005. Hearing that right song at the right time can be a powerful, life changing experience. The reason I started playing music is the same reason I play music today: for fun. It's easy to lose sight of that sometimes, but at the end of the day you have to remember why you started in the first place. Today, I draw inspiration from many different places. Music, books, conversation. A song can come from anywhere, the whole trick is being able to recognize it, jot it all down and bring it to life. It's a skill that gets better the more you do it, like any other. As Jeff Tweedy says on Wilco's Being There: "There is no sunken treasure, rumored to be. Wrapped inside my ribs in a sea black with ink." Music and songwriting is not some mythical, magical process. Anyone can do it. Go buy an instrument, and play music. It's fun. 

http://www.butchersblind.com/

Patrick Decoste: I heard joe satriani's "always with me, always with you". It hit me like a ton of bricks and literally changed my life (I could tell you the date, time of day, weather, etc. of when I heard it). That song made me realize how powerful music is and I try to garner that same feeling for myself and the listener when writing. Where do you draw inspiration from now for songs? Everywhere. Whether it's a life experience (ie my song "saudade" is about losing my grandfather) or experiences of others (ie my song "love in misery" is about a strained relationship knowing in order to feel sadness, you need to have loved). Because my music is instrumental, I can draw from anywhere and hope the listener builds their own story/experience from it. 

http://www.patrickdecoste.com/

Tracie Potochnik:  I always have loved music and had sung in various contexts (bands, college a capella, karaoke bars, showers) for ages, but it took me a pretty long time to start writing songs. I learned a little guitar and eventually, after listening to so many bleeding heart songs for my whole life, I figured I might as well try to write one of my own. (I was probably going through a breakup.) It wasn't very good, but I was lucky enough to find a community of creative folks in which I could develop as a writer, and that was a huge factor in me keeping at it. Where do you draw inspiration from now for songs? Now I get a lot of inspiration externally -- often from stories I read about real people who are very different from me. If something hits me particularly hard or in a particular way, I'll write about it. This is my way of trying to understand the person or situation, to try to figure out why people do the things they do, what it says about the human condition, and what it means for the rest of us. Sometimes I feel a little like a scavenger picking at the bones of other people's tragedies, but that's still less frightening than delving into my own personal human condition (which I also do from time to time). (photo cred: Matt Clowney)

http://www.traciepotochnik.com/ 

Todd Nickerson (6 East): I started playing guitar because I had an appreciation for music, it took me someplace else, a place that I liked. I think I continued guitar because it offered a life long challenge and I always had some nervous energy and the guitar answered the call. The songwriting came along later influenced by Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, and classic country by the likes of Merle, Waylon, and Willie. Today inspiration for new songs generally comes from life experiences, lessons learned along the journey, struggles to heartbreak to successes to overcoming difficult situations.  

http://6east.net/  

Must Know Musician Monday: James Maple

 
A few months back a mutual friend pointed me to James Maple's last release "American Dreams" and I have been listening to it constantly ever since. A great collection of songs written in the songwriter's vein with a bit of an edge. Upbeat, energetic and rocking enough of a performer to capture the rowdy bar crowd but sincere enough to play the quietest listening room. A versatile artist, to say the least.




Last Monday I was fortunate enough to share a bill with James at the Brown Bird Cover night at Club Passim.When James hit the stage there was an energy that filled the room. He really knows how to grab a crowd and keep them engaged. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of his performance and look forward to seeing him again and hopefully sharing the stage a few more times.

American Dreams -

The album itself is a rugged depiction of a talented songwriter. A little grit thrown on some wonderful songs for good measure. Porch stomping and bar brawling carefully blended with clever songwriting and sincere lyrics make for a really delightful combination. The overall sound has warm qualities, delving into bluegrass, blues, folk, and country sonic themes while still maintaining a very consistent vibe. Maple is honest to himself as a songwriter and musician and utilizes his natural talents to the best of his ability. One of those being the rasp and gravel in his voice to weave tales that keep you hanging on to every word while your boot stomps the floor beneath it. Throw in some harmonica, dobro, and an expertly picked guitar and you have a great and enjoyable sound from this artist. Plainly put, this is just some good, good stuff here.

Don't stop there though, Maple has another collaboration with producer, engineer, and multi-faceted musician Eric Lichter up on his bandcamp site, as well as the falsely titled Mediocre At Best EP (trust me, its far better than mediocre). While there's plenty to check online, his live performance is something to be marveled and appreciated. Owning the stage and audience and proving that his home is on a stage performing for folks. Stomping, throwing his guitar around, and singing loud enough to stand a few feet back from the microphone, his onstage performance is a tour de force to be seen and heard.

Maple will be on tour in February, so be sure to check on his dates and get out and see him. Trust me when I say you won't be disappointed and certainly a new fan will be born.

http://jamesmaple.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/maplejamesmusic

Boston Does Boston: Interview with Jason Dunn

Given the announcement of our Iguana Grant project of Boston songwriters covering their favorite local songwriters, this may be the best timed feature ever. If you have ever been a fan of the local Boston Rock scene you have heard of the band The Luxury. Jason, the lead singer and songwriter of the band recently came up with a crazy and amazing idea...lets get a bunch of these bands that I love and am friends with to cover each others songs and then donate the proceeds to a good cause. Well, he did it, it was a success, and he is probably going to do it again for future volumes.  I caught up with him to talk about his Boston Does Boston project...this is the kind of stuff that "community" is all about.

 

1) First off, who are you, what is your involvement with this project and how else are you involved in the Boston music community?

I'm Jason, lead singer and songwriter for The Luxury (www.theluxuryband.com), and I run a very small and very cheap recording studio called Mad Science Audio Labs (http://madsciencestudios.bandcamp.com/). Now, of course, I'm also the curator and executive producer of the BDB series, which basically means it's my baby. This time around I did everything myself, from seeking out bands to pushing the idea to press. I'm not hell-bent on doing things like this alone, I just felt like I had to prove something to myself. Actually, I'm still not sure what that was, but the results are awesome. Maybe I should get all aggro with myself more often?

2) Give us a brief overview of what this project entails. How did you come up with the idea?

It's awesome. If that's too brief, it's twenty-six of the best Boston acts I've ever seen covering each other's songs in their own style, the weirder the genre-jump the better. I based it loosely on a comp called Burlington does Burlington that came out in Burlington VT when I was a kid. When I broke my ankle last Valentine's Day I had a lot of downtime all of a sudden, I had the idea of doing that in a much bigger, much broader community with a few tweaks - have everyone on the discs cover someone else on the discs so everyone has both the challenge of doing a great band and the pleasure of having themselves done by another great band. And to make it even more irresistible and to have something purely good come out of it, I figured we could give all the money away to charity - and since I love animals, despise their abuse and was running the show, I chose the Animal Rescue League of Boston (www.arlboston.org). It was clearly the best idea I'd ever had, and I was in bed for weeks, so I started typing invites.

3) Were the bands hand-picked or was there a sort of application process? If so, will there be more volumes and how can folks become involved?

There's no application process. I chose the bands by leafing through my 12-year old mental database of great bands I love watching and listening to in the area and just writing down the first 30 that came to mind. It's funny, as soon as the facebook page launched I started getting emails from bands I'd never heard of asking, sometimes kind of demanding, that they be included. The thing is, it felt suspiciously like they were trying to gain their band exposure through something that didn't even exist yet! It was still a pipe dream and a long list of people that were into the idea. I was as nice as I could be, but I had my list and to me the visceral end point was to raise money for the ARL, and in order to do that I needed to maintain a level of quality control. Since it started in my head, I didn't have to write down a list of requirements, but if I had it would have read something like this:

1. I've heard you or heard of you and as a musician, a music fan and a producer I think you're awesome.
2. I know you well enough to know that you'll turn in something great and you'll probably do it within a reasonable timeframe.
3. You actively play live and know and respect the majority of the other bands I'm talking to.
4. Finally, you put on a great live show and people will come see you at the release parties, where the ticket sales also go to the ARL.

And yeah, I know this sounds exclusionary and believe me, I didn't want it to be that. But I had to know in my gut that this would work, and with such a large group of crazy artist people I had to know I could trust everyone. Even with this list there were problems, but I just zenned out as much as possible and tried to be a firm but encouraging leader-type without getting too pissed off. It helped that most of the list considered me a friend, and vice versa, and that we had a great cause to support.

In terms of Volumes 3 & 4? Hell yes, I plan on doing it. This was a lot of work but it was ultimately such a joy to get it all together. I'm going to try to reach out beyond my own scope of knowledge, being mostly the Cambridge/Allston/Somerville rock and pop scene, and get some more out-there crossovers happening, but it's still going to be held to a certain standard. If I've heard of a band, that helps, but what helps even more is if they're undeniably awesome, good-hearted, in it for the right reasons, and have a real following that would love to see them do something like this. Again, in the end it's all about benefiting the charity, and if a band or artist hasn't gotten to the point where they would help make that happen, it just doesn't make sense for me to invite them yet. It's not a diss, it's the reality of doing something with dollars involved.

4) Are there any particular bands you would really love to see cover each other in the future?

Of course! I mean, I don't choose who covers who - I ask the participating bands to give me their top three choices out of the list, and then try my best to make everyone happy. But I can think of tons of pairings I'd like to see. The problem is that if I put them into words now and they don't happen, I'll be sad, and if I DO put them into words and they happen on a future comp then I'll be accused of cooking the books. However - on a national and international level I can give you some examples I think would be amazing to hear. Let's have The Talking Heads covering Peter Gabriel. Let's have Justin Timberlake cover Metallica. Let's hear One Direction do a sappy choral rendition of Def Leppard. Let's hear Taylor Swift announce her retirement. Let's have The Temptations cover Oasis. Let's hear John Williams cover Gary Numan, for Pete's sake. Why not? The weirder the crossover, the more rewarding the result.

5) The one thing that this project screams to me is "community". The local music scene seems to have many different "pockets" of tight knit groups. Is this something you took into account when putting this project together? What does the local community mean to you?

It's something that bugs me, the pockets you speak of, and something I've tried to avoid with this project. I don't like that the same bands play with the same bands over and over again. Hell, I don't even like that local music on the radio is mostly relegated to Sunday nights, and even some of those DJs just focus on the same bands. Granted, everyone's guilty of that to a certain level, even me, but if the idea is for people to be discovered, you can't keep preaching to the choir. That's why everyone on BDB was encouraged to break out of their comfort zone and do something really different. Some bands went further than others, like Black Thai covering Freezepop or Will Dailey covering Reverse, and I, Pistol covering The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, but one of the coolest things I got to witness this year was an email chain between Miss Fairchild and Mr. Vertigo while the former was covering the latter, where they suddenly realized they really liked each other's music. The more of that we have, the more the music community actually becomes a community. There's no industry focus on Boston, there's barely even an industry TO focus on Boston, so why stay in our shells? To answer the question, the local music community means everything to me, it's where I found most of my best friends and where I've spent most of the last twelve years. But it would be a lot more fun and productive if it were more inter-supportive, if that's a word. Encourage each other instead of pretending we're competing for some brass ring that doesn't exist. Enjoy the time we've got to be doing this, surrounded by so much talent. Hi-fives all around, all the time, forever. Call me a hippie if you want, but, you know... all we need is love, Paul.

6) Now...plug this in any way, shape, or form that you wish!

The whole double-CD is online for people to listen to at bostondoesboston.com. So seriously, go listen to it. There's not a bum track in all 26 tracks, and there's not a chance you won't leave the experience without at least two favorite new bands. In fact, I challenge anyone to do that. It's just too good. And it's all for the love of music and kittens. MUSIC AND KITTENS FOREVER.

Brown Bird Cover Night at Club Passim Recap

For those that were in attendance, you know the emotion and vibe present in the room on this night. For those of you who weren't able to attend, I truly hope that you are able to experience something this remarkable and heartwarming in your lifetime. 14 acts got together from near and far to pay tribute and raise funds for a friend, a peer, an admired artist, and most importantly a wonderful person Monday evening at Club Passim...these are some brief thoughts I had running through my mind as I sat in awe of the love in the room throughout the night.

The first thing that truly amazed me was that the show was slated to start at 8...the room was bursting at the seams at 7 and kept on growing throughout the night.

Ian Fitzgerald and Courtney Gallager - "Fits of Reason"

First to hit the stage was the ringleader, organizer and songwriter who jumped on the "first slot" grenade for all of us, Mr. Ian Fitzgerald joined by Courtney Gallagher. If you have read anything in the past year on this blog you know how I feel about these two. I can say with an honest heart that Ian is on the top of two of my lists, the best songwriters I have ever heard and the most humble, wonderful people that I have had the pleasure of knowing. The two effortlessly melded their voices together in harmony to play a heartwretching version of the band's song, Fits of Reason.




Vudu Sister "Severed Soul"

Vudu Sister has just the right amount of spooky and beauty mixed together to make their version of Severed Soul pay perfect tribute to the band and maintain their own distinct sound. Driven by beautiful vocal harmonies, thumping bass and then culminating with all the parts (violin, slide, bass, guitar, and voice) coming together to create a jubilation of sound.




Allysen Callery "Wayward Daughter"

Allysen has a voice and picking style like no other ladies I have ever come across. Its haunting, its delicate, its just really something. Her performance of her brown bird cover was no different. Unique and carefully picked out to the crowd who was eager to listen. A wonderful fit for this show!



Brian Carroll "Danger and Dread"

Rather than go ahead and say "I played good...or ok, or mediocre", I thought I would put a perspective on what it was like to play for this audience. Stepping up onto the stage, my palms were sweaty, my through was starting to lump up, I was following three amazing acts already and paying homage to a band I can only dream of reaching the same level of songwriting prowess as, but the second I looked out on the room and heard a signature Dan Blakeslee "whoooooooooooop!", the love and warmth and inviting nature of the audience and the other musicians and fans in it really sunk in. Passim is noted for its audiences always listening, but the group in the room tonight was really up there with me while I was playing my song. After each and every act a roar of applause erupted from the crowd. I would argue that I am fairly young in my songwriting/performing career, only doing this in what I consider a serious fashion for 6 or 7 years, but I highly doubt the emotion and comfort that I felt from this show will ever truly be rivaled. I'll be living on this high for a long time to come.




Eric Lichter and friends "Bow for Blade"

We needed a little rocking bluesy action to combat the somber sounds of a lot of the songs and as James Maple said "we got Licht!" with it when Eric and his army hit the stage. Thumping bass (and bass drum) leading the track, with some excellent driven guitar lines, and excellent vocals all around. This was a little bit of electricity that the crowd was looking for. The chorus of vocals sang out like a choir in the church of rock. And then Eric ripped out a really killer guitar solo...and wasn't at all flustered when a few words missed his mouth, recovering like a pro and getting a, endearing laugh from the crowd. Man, a very incredible performance from these gents together.




James Maple "Bilgewater"

Wait, these dudes look familiar...same line up, different leader as Lichter's band. I tell you something, James Maple has that something in his voice that is equal parts honey-stung soul and gritty-blues. Its just really wonderful. Their take on this is soulful, full tune was really great. I think the only harmonica I saw all night. Excellent playing and vibe all across the board and Maple really owned the stage.



Patrick Coman "Ebb and Flow"

Not too many folks delivered stories of their brown bird introduction, but Coman had a few comments that had the crowd chuckling and hooked them right into his intro. Someones been working on their finger picking. Coman delivers a raw version of "Ebb and Flow" with a steady bass rhythm and finely picked high notes. A nice little solo and building of tension really adds to the performance.



Jonah Tolchin "Thunder and Lightning"

As if having one of the most authentic and unique voices I have ever heard isn't enough, Jonah is an insanely talented guitar player. His deep resonant voice has a natural break that just really draw you in and the rolling and cascading travel through this song was really exciting to watch pan out. I only met Jonah and was introduced to his music fairly recently, but I am sure he is going down as one of my favorite performers and songwriters for life.



Haunt the House "Chairkickers"

Usually I have a lot to say and write about stuff, but I find that the less I am able to come up with the more moving the performance actually was. Which is why I will sum up Haunt the House's performance as: so f*cking beautiful, I have nothing else I could possibly say to better describe it. Wow.


Jenee Halstead "Devil Dancing"

Man, I said this before and I will say it again, whatever "it" is Jenee has got it. She has that type of country tinged voice that so many people try to capture but she just owns. She also graced the Passim stage with her new tele adding a really cool texture to her song of choice. Audrey Ryan also sat in during the tune and the two really played off each other in a subtle, but strong way.




Chadley Kolb "Wrong Black Mare"

Talk about taking a song and making it your own and just owning that. Chadley has a knack for that "dirty, delta, bluesy" goodness that makes you crave grits and fried alligator. His picking and playing was right on point adding that soulful goodness and his voice is always a treat to hear. He really just got up on that stage and sucked the air our of the room leaving folks speechless. Really amazing performance.



Audrey Ryan "By the Reins"

Audrey kicked off her song by telling a really wonderful story of why she chose the song she did and her relationship with Dave and MorganEve. Being more fan than friend of the group myself, it was really nice to hear all the wonderful things she had to say about her history with Dave. She also had Jenee's tele in tow and unleashed a powerful rendition of the band's song "By The Reins".



Dan Blakeslee "Amelia Earhart"

I think Dan is the best human on the planet. And everytime I hear his voice sing out I am always in awe. His humor throughout his performance was evident and he was another who shared a wonderful story of his relationship with the band. Dan's picking and hovering vocal really rang out through his performance and the addition of Audrey Ryan on accordion was certainly a welcome one. HE even paused after his song to capture the crowd in a photo...and then another photo...and then a panoramic photo to send to Dave and MorganEve. To which the crowd happily obliged.




The Low Anthem "Black Rivers"

True Beauty. That is what I feel after every time I listen to the Low Anthem and this was no different. A perfect ending to the evening, the 3-piece took the stage and added their signature "wait, where did that incredible atmospheric sound come from/what is that instrument they are playing" dynamic to this night. The band is one of the most creative that I have come across and it was such a pleasure to hear their gorgeous take on this song. Just wonderful.