ChristyFest 2012
20 May 2012 14 Comments
in Music Tags: ChristyFest, Cracker Swamp Productions, Danny Kay and the Nightliferes, entertainment, Husky Burnette, IBWIP, Kara Clark, Lone Wolf OMB, Olds Sleeper, RNZ Magazine, Robert "Fireball" Mitchell, Sean K. Preston and the Loaded Pistols, Ten Foot Polecats
One of the things I like most about our genre is that we’re so small; everyone pretty much knows everyone and we adore each other like family. BJ Christy and his wife, Coley, invited all of us over to their house in palatial Southern Pennsylvania last weekend for their own mico-festival, ChristyFest. Our friendships stem from Muddy Roots, live podcasts with chat rooms over the past few years, and Facebook. Due to lack of a working teleporter, there were some people who just weren’t able to make it, and they were so very missed by all of us.
I brought with me a visiting friend from London to experience what American music is without Auto-Tuned corporate commercialism. These bands are all working class people. Nobody showed up in a limo, brought an entourage, or presented any airs. Hell, Olds Sleeper slept in tent in the side yard. The rest of us were on air mattresses (why does my butt always wind up hitting floor?) couches, and spare beds.
We came in late Friday night to the hospitality of the Christy Family and friends: Blake Clayton, Podcasting God of IBWIP, Molly Nelson, Andy, Editor of RNZ Magazine, Kimberly Moore (we call her Rosie), Lone Wolf (Brunoooo!) and Mr. Cracker Swamp himself, Rev. Nix (Gary and Melissa got in by the hair of their chinny chin chin on Saturday). The Christy children, Sean, 11, and Liam, 5, are such great boys. Sean is 11 going on 25, and you just wanna smooch and snuggle little Liam. Beej was marinating meats, and futzing with the grill and smoker. Yum. We all stood in a circle under the magnificent night sky until we were too tired to talk.
Olds Sleeper was the first to arrive on Saturday and he and Lone Wolf hit it off and were jamming out on the front porch within minutes. We then moseyed off to the stage under the big tent and the festivities began.
Olds Sleeper started it all and he’s one of those artists that is like a fountain that just keeps giving. At the end of his set, he managed to completely sum up the high and low points of my life of the past year and I got to lay down in the grass and let his music wash over me as he weaved together the songs “May the Circle Be Unbroken” and “Rainy Day Women 12 & 35”. The man is a lyrical genius.
XSXSW 5
10 Mar 2012 2 Comments
in Music Tags: Austin Moose Lodge, Calamity Cubes, Captain Mudhole, Chili Cold Blood, cracker swamp, Cracker Swamp Productions, Farmer Barrett, Hashknife Outfit, Hellbound Glory, Hillgrass Bluebilly, Husky Burnette, James Hand, James Leg, KVRX, Lone Wolf OMB, Moonhangers, Muddy Roots Music, Old Grey Mule, Owsley Brothers, Patrick’s Beard, Pearls Mahone, Possessed By Paul James, Rachel Brooke, Restavrant, roots music, Ruby Jane, Run On Sentence, Saving Country Music, Soda, Sunday Valley, SXSW, The Real Deal KOOK, Tom VandenAvond, travel, vacation, Walter Tower
Yeah, I said it, Ex South by South West. This is the alternative to alternative. It’s underground music at its best. If I had a teleporter, I’d so be at this! Just look at the lineup! Holy smoke! Thankfully, my pals over at Saving Muddy Hillgrass bring the awesome to me via radio and the internets. Here’s the lowdown via The Trigger Man:
Hillgrass Bluebilly Records, Muddy Roots Music, and savingcountrymusic.com, along with KVRX 91.7, The Real Deal KOOK 93.5, and Cracker Swamp Productions are excited to announce the complete lineup for XSXSW 5, or “Saving Muddy Hillgrass”, a two day event happening parallel with South by Southwest, the annual mid-March music festival in Austin, TX. More
2011: A Year in Music
06 Dec 2011 7 Comments
in Music Tags: Amanda Shires, B.J. Christy, Black Friday, Blake Clayton, Bloodshot Records, Bob Wayne, Caitlin Rose, Caleb Klauder, Chris Miler, Cracker Swamp Productions, Down in the Barnyard, El Santo Grial: La Pistola Piadosa, Facedown in the Dirt, Farmageddon Records, Foghorn Trio, Friend of the People, Hank 3, Hank Williams III, Hillgrass Bluebilly, Husky Burnette, IBWIP, It Burns When I Pee, James Hunnicutt, Jashie P., Jay-Z, Jayke Orvis, JB Beverley, Kanye West, Leroy Virgil, Lil Kilm, Little Lisa Dixie, Lone Wolf, Lucinda Williams, Lupe Black, Lupe Fiasco, Muddy Roots, Olds Sleeper, Outlaw Carnie, Outlaw Radio Chicago, Own Side Now, Plainspoken, Rachel Brooke, Rev. Nix, Rusty Knuckles, Seven Devils, Slackeye Slim, Soda, South Congress Sessions, Sud De La Louisiane, The Boomswagglers, The Dad Horse Experience, The Goddamn Gallows, Tim Pop, Triggerman, Willie Tea Taylor
What an amazing year for my underground favorites! Hank 3 became free, Muddy Roots was the festival of all festivals, the podcasting world became my CNN, and record labels turned out greatness like it’s their job.
As for hip-hop, I don’t have anything that gives off fireworks. ‘Lil Kim’s single “Black Friday” was an awesome dis war against Nicki Minaj but then face-planted with the ill planned release of her mixtape. The uber spectacle of Jay-Z and Kanye’s “Watch the Throne” just didn’t do it for me (though I kinda love the fun factor of the Otis video). There’s a new mixtape out by Lupe Fiasco called “Friend of the People” that’s been floating around. The final product is supposedly cancelled and what I’ve heard is very political and just what I’ve missed about hip-hop, but I’ll wait until the release to review it because I’m unsure if my copy’s legit.
A L B U M S :
Bob Wayne: Outlaw Carnie – As much as I think Bob Wayne walks on songwriting water, this cd is just too clean and polished for me. I’m too loyal to the previous releases of most of the songs. That said, I’m on the edge of my seat for his next release which will have the song I saw him write at Muddy Roots!
Caitlin Rose: Own Side Now – Thanks to Triggerman’s review, I bought this cd and it’s always somewhere in my rotation. The songs are well done and I look forward to listening to her future projects. (see video below)
Caleb Klauder’s Foghorn Trio: Sud De La Louisiane – I went to a house party where they played and was instantly captivated by their talent. I got a bit on YouTube and recommend this to anyone whose interested in the country French sounds of the Louisiana bayou. (see video below)
The Goddamn Gallows: Seven Devils – How I love this band! They are so talented and just about nothing beats their live shows. They reminds us why we love punk and what punk should be. More
Muddy Roots Festival 2011: My Review
09 Sep 2011 4 Comments
in Gigs I've Seen, Music Tags: Aran Buzzas, Baby Genius, Banjer Dan, Cracker Swamp Productions, Farmageddon Records, Hillgrass Bluebilly, IBWIP, It Burns When I Pee, Jayke Orvis, JB Beverley, Last False Hope, Left Lane Cruiser, Outlaw Radio Chicago, Owen Mays, Possessed By Paul James, Rachel Brookle, Rusty Knuckles, Saving Country Music, Ten Foot Polecats, The Goddamn Gallows, Wayne Hancock
(photo: to the left is Lone Wolf, one man band and master craftsman <not only is he perfect, he’s Italian too!> and to his right is BluesBeaten Redshaw who you need to know about)
I have no idea how I’m going to capture the magic of what just happened to me over the past week. I’ve taken notes, saved receipts, downloaded photos from Facebook, and am working on a YouTube playlist.
We arrived at Muddy Roots Friday night and I saw Baby Genius in the sign-in line. We looked like kids at Christmas. Everybody was so stoked to be there. We camped across the dirt road from the people I’ve been conversing with online via blogs and podcasts. The whole night was surreal like you’re walking through a dream state but it’s really happening. We met up and the conversation was so easy and effortless. There was also this great kismet level of timing that I encountered repeatedly with Aran Buzzas. My first star-struck moment was when Pier came and got us to see JB Beverley play Rolling Stones covers while he sat on the trunk of a car. It was surreal. You know that voice like you know your own skin. After that experience, I vowed to wander. So I walked past our tent, up a small hill (the one Miller faceplanted onto) and first thing I found was Bob Wayne’s trailer with him and some friends sitting outside writing a song. And I’m watching the creativity process from Mr. Bob Wayne himself. It was awe inspiring. He’s cool as hell. He remembered me and my friend from the Brooklyn show in July and my heart just about lept out in celebrity joy. Walking around became an adventure. Everybody was there. It was like a family reunion for the family you wish you had. Rachel Brooke was just beaming with fiancé happiness. More
