Dementia Home Care by Tracy Cram Perkins

Tracy’s book launches April 13, 2021!

Hello Friends,

It’s been a long time. No concert reporting during Pandemic Times, but thought I’d share some fantastic news. A dear friend of mine, Tracy Cram Perkins is launching her new book, Dementia Home Care on April 13, 2021 in both paperback and e-book formats.

Pick up a copy today for yourself or for anyone you know who has a loved one coping with dementia. Inside, you’ll find practical tips and day-to-day strategies for dealing with meltdowns, wandering, eating, bathing, safety, and how to manage your loved one’s care without having your own meltdown. There are tons of resources listed as well as information regarding end-of-life care and financial decisions. It is a godsend.

Tracy knows dementia. She was the primary caregiver for both parents and other family members who suffered from dementia. Her father came to live with Tracy and her husband for three years while his Alzheimer’s Disease worsened. She had to learn the hard way (having zero skills in caregiving for a loved one with dementia to researching and writing a book on the subject) and promised her father that she would not allow others to go through what she went through. She went from a feeling of helplessness to feeling empowered to help others, and the result of her hard work is this amazing step-by-step guidebook.

Here is some information from her website:

(Please note, actual release date changed to April 13, 2021, but please pre-order your copy today!)

Check out Tracy’s blog here and subscribe to her newsletter to receive Ten Steps to Calming Aggressive Dementia Behavior, a two-page guide.

Tracy Cram Perkins, Author of Dementia Home Care

To order your copy today, go to Amazon or any of your local bookstores and request it.

Massy Ferguson’s Rockin’ CD Release Party at Treehouse Cafe, Bainbridge Island

It’s good to be back. Even better, it’s good to be writing about my favorite Seattle band, Massy Ferguson, out on the town celebrating their latest CD, Great Divides. It’s their best album to date. Explosive, powerful rock with tremors of Americana twang. Nostalgic and sometimes pensive lyrics of misspent youth, dark imagery, pedal steel, country harmonies, hints of Petty and Tweedy. There’s a little bit of everything, but mostly solid, guitar-driven rock.

Pleasant surprises and sonic twists include: Adam Monda’s fresh guitar effects and Skynyrd-esque solos; Fred Slater’s tasty keyboard grooves that show up all over the album bringing a 70’s vibe; Jay Kardong’s lamenting pedal steel on “Saddest Man” shifting the sound into country territory; female guest singer Adra Boo’s harmonies that blend perfectly with Ethan Anderson’s lead vox on the up-tempo single “Maybe The Gods;” Drummer Dave Goedde’s temporary tempo change in the middle of “Don’t Give Up On Your Friends;” and Ethan’s spoken lyrics and thumping bass on “Momma’s in the Backseat.”

Although they just played a CD release party at The Crocodile, they performed a special show in Bainbridge Island for the folks at The Treehouse Cafe who have supported them most of their nearly dozen-year career. And what a perfect spring evening to take a ferry across Puget Sound. This was the first time I ventured across the Sound to see a band at The Treehouse, but lots of top-notch singer/songwriters have made a point to play Seattle and not miss Bainbridge before heading to their next destination, including Americana royalty like James McMurtry, Hayes Carll, and Mary Gauthier.

Adam Monda and Ethan Anderson of Massy Ferguson

I love Massy Ferguson. I love their music, their originality, their humor, and their personality; not only as a musical entity, but as individuals. Each member is not only a master of his instrument, but genuinely a nice guy. They are happy to sign autographs, they run their own merch table, get to know their fans, and seem grateful to still be together. They can hang with their fans and hang with fellow musicians and their musical heroes. They play the smallest stages to a handful of faithful fans and still give 100%; or play to thousands of sweaty, beer-fueled festival-goers in some summer locale and gain new fans by the end of the night.

They all have careers outside of the band (for example, Dave Goedde, graphic designer and MF drummer extraordinaire, designed the album cover!), but also commit to a pretty full tour schedule. Their music has taken them from the farming community of Marysville, Washington to the far reaches of the globe, most recently a  whirlwind trip to Spain. They’re gearing up for a month-long trip to the UK in July. They’ve played Honduras, Iceland, Mexico, and Roslyn, sometimes in the same week. Okay, maybe that’s not true; but I do recall them playing some other country and then hitting one of the local shows just a couple of days later. It happens. It happens with all musicians who make (part of) their living on the road.

I asked Ethan Anderson a few questions about the creation of Great Divides and their recent and upcoming tours.

Aplscruf: Your last album, Run It Right Into the Wall was inspired by your musical anti-heroes (including The Replacements, Wilco, and Son Volt). What inspired you to create this latest album, Great Divides?

EA: To be honest, and trying not to be too dramatic, survival. As a band, you need to continue to grow and write about it, otherwise you’re dead. I think that the major inspiration for me in my lyrics on this album is some stories of growing up and stories of innocence, stories about experience, stories about growing up where I grew up, when I grew up.

AS: How did your songs stream into words and music?

EA: Like I said, a lot of the songs are taken from my experiences growing up. The song “Don’t give up on your friends” is basically me singing from the perspective of myself as a rebellious 16-year-old. The song “Can’t remember” is the story of when I first started talking to my now wife when she was a single cocktail waitress. A lot of songs started with melodic lines or words that Adam Monda was kicking around. I would say almost all the lyrics are written by me and Adam. Usually him starting with some kind of inspiration and me extrapolating, for lack of a better word. For example, he had this guitar idea and one lyric that said, “There’s a lot of people saying you were there.” Pretty ominous. I took that lyric and wrote a song about it, maybe one of the darkest songs I’ve ever written about someone who committed a crime and decided to go on the lam. The song is actually inspired by the book “Motel life” by Willy Vlautin.

AS: For the single, “Maybe The Gods”, Adra Boo does an amazing job backing you on vocals [see the video, produced and directed by Ryan Purcell].

EA: Adra is a phenomenal singer we met through our producer Martin Feveyear. She has said before that she could sing anything, and this song is absolute proof of that.

AS: How was the Crocodile album release party? Did it sell out?

EA: Yes! I actually heard that they had to keep people outside until some people left so, in my mind, that’s a sellout! It’s probably our most successful local show ever and really meant a lot to have so many people come out and be so enthusiastic about this new record. We’ve had a run of really good shows in Seattle and it’s always so much fun to be able to rock an amazing show, then go sleep in your own bed, ha-ha.

AS: A couple of months ago, you and the boys toured Spain for the first time and played several festivals there. How did that experience differ from playing here or the UK, for instance?

EA: Spain was amazing. And really tiring. I think there’s something about the Spanish lifestyle that was really hard to get used to, in a sense. A lot of the shows, even on Tuesday nights for example, didn’t want you to start until midnight. You would be eating a huge dinner at 10 PM and then, where my natural instinct after a really big meal would be to lie down, you have to jump on stage and rock a crowd for two hours. The food was a highlight, by the way. As for the shows, you couldn’t ask for much more from the first tour. There were people there every night, usually very enthusiastic. We even broke out a few songs in Spanish and people went nuts. I really hope we have a chance to go back there because that was really memorable.

_____

Back at The Treehouse, Massy Ferguson blasted into the first of two sets with tunes from the new album and threaded in songs from their catalog of five full-length albums and a handful of EP’s.

The same phenomenon that inflicts the Seattle crowd also showed up this night in Bainbridge. Although the show officially started around 8, people didn’t fill in the dance floor until at least an hour into the show. The audience formed what I call the Semi-circle of Shyness phenomenon, a 10-foot gap between stage and audience that no one dared to cross until Ethan Anderson, lead singer and bassist, intervened. During the middle of the song “Powder Blue,” he asked them to take five steps toward the stage–not for him, but in order to appease the fire marshal and keep the fire exits clear. Well, that brought the crowd forward and pulled the stragglers in behind them until the dance floor was completely full. It was fun to watch it fill in so quickly, once the crowd was given “permission.” He finished the song in Spanish, a signature Massy move. Since they just got back from Spain, it was a fitting way to end it. It’s another thing I love about the positive dynamics between this band and their audience. Ethan knows how to work the crowd and get them on their feet. He and the rest of the boys make a point to engage and interact with them throughout the show.

Once the crowd was planted on the dance floor, there was no turning back. They danced their way through “Maybe The Gods,” “Don’t Give Up On Your Friends,” “Momma’s in the Back Seat,”and the title track, signs that these songs will be new classics at future shows.

Although they play mostly original music, they do throw in a couple of covers during their live shows. This night, a couple of surprise covers I haven’t heard them play before included “Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.” Of course, the crowd sang along to Dylan, as lead guitarist Adam Monda took turns belting out the lyrics with Ethan.

If Ethan brings out his flute, it’s a dead giveaway the next song he’ll play will either be from The Marshall Tucker Band, Jethro Tull, or Men At Work. “There’s a special place in Hell for people who steal flutes,” said Ethan. A couple years ago, his cherished flute was brazenly stolen out of his car. A crowdfund campaign formed, and within a matter of days, loyal fans and friends donated enough money not only to replace that flute, but to purchase a spare. Redemption! Ethan raised his flute triumphantly to the audience. “Suck it, guy who stole my flute!” He and the band then dove into a rousing cover of “Can’t You See” as the audience helped with the chorus. The new flute is named Mary, by the way.

Massy Ferguson finished off the night with the title track of their last album, Run It Right Into the Wall. Most fans stayed until the very end and hung around at the merch table afterward to collect their own copy of Great Divides and a T-shirt or two.

_____

AS: What’s next for summer gigs? Outdoor Festivals? OH! And you’re touring with Pete Bruntnell in the UK!! [see UK tour poster below for dates/venues]

EA: Of course, we have local summertime gigs etc., but what I’m really looking forward to is our July UK tour. I’m really excited to play with Peter Bruntnell, Danni Nicholls, Ben Jordan, Kiefer Sutherland[!] and all the other people we are slotted to perform with on various festivals or in clubs. There’s something so cool about the UK and the experiences we’ve had there.

_____

Check out Massy Ferguson’s tour schedule, and then hop a plane and join them in the UK!

Support the independent artists who venture to your city and play small clubs and venues. Support quality music.

X Keeps on Giving 40 Years Later

It was a cold and damp December evening. My son Jacob and I crossed First Avenue and headed toward the neon-framed marquee of The Showbox to see X. Seattle’s streets shimmered with thawing snow, two days after a White Christmas–a rarity here. X is a rarity too, still intact after 40 years. Forty years of raw, chest-thumping, eardrum-splitting punk rock.

Their 40th Anniversary tour is a gift that just keeps on giving. Seattle was a stop in the final leg of their year-long tour, which actually began in 2016. The Grande Finale of 2017 took place December 30th in San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom.

X have been around so long, they’re already stuffed in a museum. The GRAMMY museum in L.A. just opened an exhibit in October: X: 40 Years of Punk in Los Angeles, which features X artifacts and memorabilia. There is also a book and a movie out about X and the L.A. punk scene. You’d think they were long gone, with all the honors bestowed upon them.

Exene Cervenka, vocalist for X, exclaims on their website: “For a long time interviewers and X people we’ve met have asked us, ‘Did you think when X started you’d still be playing together now?’ And our answer is surprisingly – No! Of course not!” Like the first fiery X on their Los Angeles album cover, they rose from the ashes, catching fire again and again as new generations of fans fueled them. Exene also added: “A couple weeks ago we were in the van coming home from a show, and started talking about this very exciting 40th Anniversary year coming up. Then Billy said: ‘That’s nice. What are we doing for our 50th anniversary?'”

Back at The Showbox, makeshift airport metal detectors guarded the entrance. My purse was searched by security as I walked through the rectangular detectors. I hate the New World sometimes, but I’ll tolerate the terrorist paranoia in order to see a live show. The cycle of life and history keeps spinning ’round as new becomes old and old becomes new again. 

Our photo passes only allowed access on the sides of stage; but as usual in Seattle, no one showed up until halfway through the opener. We had prime standing positions in front of the stage, if we could tolerate standing for the next 3.5 hours. Seemed like the punk thing to do. Since X would be doing all the work, we could honor their efforts by standing and getting sweaty right along with them. I knew once we committed, we’d stay put the rest of the night.

X brought in some young blood to open the show this night. LPIII & The Tragedy were supporting X in the Northwest leg of the tour and promoting their debut album, Southland Hum. LPIII and the Tragedy set The Showbox ablaze with their punk swagger, borrowing riffs from roots rock to cow-punk, but they still sounded genuine and fresh.

Louis Perez III, is an L.A. prince (his father is Louie Perez Jr. of Los Lobos fame), but has branched out and developed his own style of music. A necessary rite of passage, if one is to follow in his father’s musical footsteps. With intense, primal vocals and scorching lead guitar, he knew how to work the stage and energize the crowd.

Perez’s cousin, Ruby Rosas (vox/bass), peered over the audience with dagger eyes, eager to rip our hearts out and eat them while thumping out bass riffs in snakeskin stilettos. And we were okay with that. She had full control of her instrument and matched Perez in talent and intensity.

The rest of the band enveloped the two and created a tight, raucous sound, which included Mike Berault on keys, Carlos Guzman on rhythm guitar, and Eric Fuller on drums.

Check out their latest video of the title track here: https://www.lp3andthetragedy.com/video

After a huge applause erupted for LPIII & The Tragedy, the mob was fired up and ready for X.

John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X

X’s punk music felt just as fresh and relevant as it must have 4 decades ago. No need for them to record “new” music. They have enough timeless hits to fill the night and keep the audience fully engaged. Generations of fans attended the Showbox this night, proving how timeless their music truly is. It speaks to the fans. Its roots run deep, touching many genres, from rockabilly to country, rock and pop. The mosh pit did change considerably, as the majority of the crowd was a bit older. This evening, the pit consisted of one skinny punk kid, flailing his arms and legs, who immediately got clothes-lined by a man twice his age and weight. End of mosh pit.

Their onstage chemistry is that of a band who still “genuinely like each other”, said bassist/vocalist John Doe, in a recent interview in The Seattle Times. Their playful, knowing looks, inside jokes, and teasing remarks onstage added to the fun atmosphere. At one point, guitarist Billy Zoom kept telling drummer DJ Bonebrake: “Hold on!” right when DJ counted out a beat. After the third time, DJ learned his lesson and they blasted into another song, right on cue. For this show, X added guest musician Craig Packham to fill in on rhythm guitar so Billy could play his sax. Craig also played drums while DJ hit the vibraphone for a few songs.

Billy Zoom, although seated again for most of the show, still had that Eternal Smile and mugged for the cameras in the front row. He’s still sweet and baby-faced, still playing like a madman, but cool as a cucumber on the outside, barely moving a muscle except those in his flying fingers.

Jacob, my son and photographer co-pilot, witnessed Doe’s solo show at The Triple Door a couple years ago. The lively show, more country than rock, included Jesse Dayton’s terrific backing band. Doe was a little more subdued, letting Dayton do the heavy lifting. Jacob hadn’t seen X as a full band before, and was pleasantly surprised by Doe’s dynamic bass grooves, his magnetism, synergy, and chemistry with X. Not to mention his contrapposto punk stance. The man’s still got it.

I looked over and Jacob during “Hungry Wolf”. His eyes were closed and his head was bobbing, immersed in DJ’s rolling thunder. The wooden floor bounced to the beat below our stomping feet. The rest of the band disappeared behind the stage as our chests reverberated in marked time. After DJ’s powerful solo, Billy took his seat and conjured the devil out of his guitar, making other-worldly noises and screeches, howling and growling. Exene and John joined the pack to finish up the explosive song.

DJ Bonebrake

“Mind if we sing a couple end-of-the-world songs?” said John. Exene shuffled over to him and held up 5 fingers close to his face with a coy smile.  John continued: “Uh, make that five end-of-the-world songs…”

If the world ended tonight, we’d all go out spent and satisfied. How punk is that? And isn’t that what music should do for us? Fuck the end of the world.

Exene, seemingly in her own world, spun and swayed, with hands nesting in her hair. Sometimes she looked like a marionette with arms and legs attached to invisible strings, resurrecting her black-and-white ghost persona in “Because I Do.” When it was her turn in front of the mic, though, she became reanimated, punching out song after song, harmonizing with Doe, screaming, shrieking, and belting out lyrics.

A woman about my age made her way to the front. Her smiling, glowing face showed how much she loved this band. She knew all the words, sang along, and reached out to each of them as she caught their eyes. During “Come Back To Me”, Exene extended a hand to the woman and held it while she finished her verse. It was so sweet and genuine. A tender moment at a punk rock show. Are they losing their punk angst? No, but they know how to give and receive love. It’s why they’re still around playing for us today.

I gave the fan my business card and told her to write to me, and I’d send her a picture. Priceless.

Billy played sax during the song, and John later quipped, “That was our jazz interlude.”

Billy Zoom on sax, guitar pick resting on forehead

The night grew long and hot. We held our positions, not daring to leave and expect to get back to the front lines. Sweating through my two shirts, I decided to remove my denim shirt, hand painted with copper arrows that my artist friend made me as a surprise Christmas present–a Wild Gift, just for tonight’s show. It was a beautiful bootleg, honoring Doe’s trademark look, crafted out of love and friendship. I held it up and caught Mr. Doe’s eye. He gave me a big smile and a little chuckle. Ahh, heaven right here in the heat and the fiery glow.

To be fair, though, Doe’s look and other cool hand-made designer clothing can be purchased through Featherweight Studio.

John Doe, all punk and arrows

A young woman had the honor of helping Billy play his guitar at the end of the show. I caught a picture in the hazy glow of the lights, as if Billy were an angel sent down to greet her. She later exclaimed on my Facebook page where I’d posted the pic: “Happiest moment in all my life!” What more could you ask for as a fan or as a musician?

Billy Zoom gets a helping hand from an adoring fan

Exene also expounded on the tour in a 2016 Seattle Times article: “We’ve got three generations of people now coming to see us. I’m grateful that we’re still doing it and I’m grateful people still want to see us. You don’t retire…you play until you die.”

I cannot go without saying how I was reminded of another 40th anniversary tour that just wrapped up a few months ago. The bittersweet and shocking ending of Tom Petty’s  life happened just days after his tour ended. As with X, we’ll still have the music, long after they’re gone. Nothing beats the shared energy of a live show, though.

It was a punk rock show after all, so I believe I’m allowed to toss around an “F” bomb a couple of times. Maybe I’m being selfish, even after acknowledging that life and death form a never-ending circle, but here goes:

X, don’t fucking die. Shoot for the 50th Anniversary.

Peace, Love, and Punk Rock to All…

 

For more information, check out their websites and purchase their merch:

http://www.xtheband.com/

John Doe

https://www.lp3andthetragedy.com/

For fantastic pics of the show, check out Peter Dervin Photography and his review on No Depression: http://nodepression.com/live-review/x-celebrates-their-40th-anniversary-showbox-seattle

 

 

 

 

The Gift of Music, Art, and Other Holiday Cheer

Tornado Nebula by Jacob Knight

‘Tis the season for giving. Let’s give support to good causes and to our artist friends near and far. Spread good cheer all ’round. Here are a few of my favorite things (and people!). I know I missed many, and don’t have the time to list them all. If you have other artists, charities, music, or websites in mind, feel free to comment below and include a link.

Kosmos Journal – Give the journal subscription to someone you love and help transform our world! Writers are also encouraged to submit pieces on various topics. You can also donate by purchasing a beautiful meditation bracelet, hand-crafted by the multi-talented New York artist Kari Auerbach.

Speaking of New York artists, check out Kathy Luker Hats – Support Kathy Luker’s fundraising campaign and give one of her hand-made hats to the rockstar in your life! Raspberry beret? Yep, she makes those, too!

New York is also home to the lovely actress Ms. Bernadette Quigley and of Quigley Media whose musical clientele ranges from Canadian folk singers to Austin rock stars. Check out links to her work and purchase some exciting new music from her clients.

Writers Helping Writers – Do you know someone who is writing the Next Great American Novel? This is a fabulous site with lots of tips and books available to move from writer to bestselling author! They also give to great causes on their site.

Another great way to support the writer in your life is to purchase a membership to a local writing chapter. Here in the Northwest, we have PNWA (Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association) and for romance writers of all genres, GSRWA (Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America), local chapter to the national RWA.  If you’d like to donate, there are also scholarships available to help support all writers.

Need an editor for that Great American Novel? Check out Lynne Pearson of All That Editing. She just edited my manuscript in October, and I came away with the motivation and confidence to dive into rewrites.

Want to give the gift of original abstract paintings like the one above? Check out Jacob Knight Art on FB or Instagram. Yeah, he might be my son. And he’s pretty cool.

No Depression – Looking for the quintessential roots and Americana music mag to give to friends and family? Purchase their subscription at 20% off right now. Check out the dazzling list of artists reviewed on this site, as well as their year-end readers poll, where you can vote for your favorite album, including one of our faves, Will Kimbrough and Brigitte DeMeyer’s Mockingbird Soul. Grayson Capps, also has a new album featured on the year-end poll, called Scarlett Roses. Will and Grayson are a part of the Alabama Supergroup, Willie Sugarcapps. Purchase music by following the artist links or GTS (google that stuff!).

You can also support another Will Kimbrough project with Tommy Womack and their band DADDY. I included an article of a recent fundraiser to support their album. Find ’em on Facebook for more info.

Americana Music – Another essential source for award-winning artists, and for planning your next trip to watch them perform at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville.

Paul Kerr’s Blabber ‘n’ Smoke is another excellent resource for Americana music, from a Glasgow point of view. His reviews are thoughtful and poetic, and usually include a video or song selection.

From Glasgow, take a day and head over to Kilkenny, Ireland to Rollercoaster Records, The Happiest Little Record Shop in the World. Buy some vinyl, see a show, and pay respects to the late great Willie Meighan .

Jeff Finlin – Jeff is known world-wide for his musical artistry, but is also a poet, author, and certified yoga instructor and counselor. He has recently worked as an addiction therapist in a treatment center, instructing patients how to turn their words of trauma into healing poetry. Download his music and buy his books on his website.

Willy Vlautin – This man’s on a winning streak. He’s a famous author and formerly of Portland’s world-renowned band Richmond Fontaine. Check out Willy’s websites, download some music, and purchase one of his books. His latest novel, Don’t Skip Out On Me, is due in February. Also, a film based on his novel Lean On Pete will screen in American theaters in February and stars Steve Buscemi.

Massy Ferguson – Seattle’s own American Rock band for over a decade. We’ve seen them countless times, and they never fail to entertain and rock the house. They also perform shows for good causes, and can be found rocking all over the metropolitan area–and across The Pond! Grab a loved one and go! Stream their latest, Run It Right Into The Wall on their website and purchase a disk or three.

Dusty 45’s and DESC – Not to be outdone, The Dusty 45’s have been rocking Seattle for two decades, and were the backing band for Ms. Wanda Jackson, Queen of Rockabilly! They also host the DESC(Downtown Emergency Service Center) annual fundraiser.

Time to Give Back, Y’all.

 

 

Heartbroken.

Tom Petty at The Troubadour May 2, 2008

The Guru In The Girl Album Trailer

Jeff Finlin’s brilliant new album The Guru In The Girl drops May 26. Here is a little teaser directed by Verginia Grando and Henrique Ribeiro. It includes the haunting, sensual track, “Lost In Your Blue Eyes”:

 

Learn more at https://jefffinlin.com/
Man in the Moon Records (UK & Ireland) https://facebook.com/ManInTheMoonReco…
Continental Record Services (Europe) https://continentalrecordservices.ban…
Bent Wheel Records (USA Digital only)

This video was produced by Atomic Tangerine (http://atomictangerine.com.br), with the support of Red Mamut (http://redmamut.com.br)

Massy Ferguson – Triple Door VI Show Friday, April 7, 2017

Massy Ferguson and most of the audience at The Triple Door in 2016. Photo by Rich Zollner Photography

Come join in on the fun Friday, April 7 at The Triple Door in Seattle for Massy Ferguson and Sweet Kiss Momma.

Massy Ferguson, Seattle’s American Rock darlings, will sell out The Triple Door again this year. You don’t want to miss their lively show, which usually involves audience participation. You might even have a chance to join them onstage during their big finale.

Get your tix here:https://tickets.thetripledoor.net/ordertickets.asp?p=2430&src=eventperformances

Latest Happenings…

Lots of great music happening all over the world right now and an the near future! Here are just a few picks…

Will Kimbrough and Brigitte DeMeyer’s tour moves across The Pond. Paul Kerr of Blabber ‘n’ Smoke added his two cents to the stack of glowing reviews on this duo: https://paulkerr.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/brigitte-demeyer-will-kimbrough-mockingbird-soul/ See Tour Dates for a show near you.

Japandroids

Japandroids, a Vancouver-based punk band, invaded the West Coast, including a stop in Seattle this past weekend. They’ll head to Europe mid-April with a gig at Melkweg in Amsterdam before continuing the tour in UK into the first week of May. They return to Europe in June to play a few more gigs including Spain and Italy.

Oliver Gray , Americana music promoter (I hereby dub him Americana’s Duke of Winchester), is visiting SXSW.  I’m looking forward to his take on the scene. Here is last year’s post: http://olivergray.com/south-by-south-west-festival-2016/

Jesse Dayton is heading West after SXSW to Seattle’s Tractor Tavern. The man is a beast on guitar and puts on an incredible, entertaining show. Jesse has a new album out called The Revealer. Here’s my review of his show with John Doe a few years ago: http://nodepression.com/live-review/john-doe-reigns-triple-door-seattle-wa. Dayton was featured in No Depression in October: http://nodepression.com/article/unsung-heroes-americana-music-jesse-dayton-real-country-music

John Doe will also tour this summer with a few stops up north.

Jeremy Nail was also featured in ND this month: http://nodepression.com/article/jeremy-nail%E2%80%99s-new-album-climbs-above-health-struggles

Jenny Whiteley, Canadian folk artist, was recently nominated for a  JUNO award, Canada’s version of The Grammys for her latest album, The Original Jenny Whiteley. Awards ceremony is in April.

 

Dean Owens, a man from Leith–a Celtic Americana  artist via Nashville–has a new album, a movie in the works, and a new single called “Julie’s Moon” on iTunes with a chance to donate through Marie Curie.Check  Dean’s Facebook Page for more info and make a purchase to support this favorite Americana artist.

Kilkenny Roots Festival  happens 28 April – 1 May in Kilkenny, Ireland. Always a quality lineup, many artists from America. Western Centuries, a top-notch country band from Seattle, will attend this year.

Massy Ferguson’s April show at The Triple Door in Seattle will be a sell-out event. The annual show is a must-see for Ferguson fans. We just saw them play a lively set in a suburban venue called Capps Club, just blocks from home. It’s nice to finally have some quality  music venues outside of the city limits.

Speaking of suburban venues, McMenamins offers a variety of music throughout its Oregon and Washington properties. We are lucky to be minutes away from Anderson School where Fernando, McDougal, Jesse Dayton, Massy Ferguson, Ian McFeron, Sean Rowe, and Aaron Lee Tasjan have played–just to name a few artists since its grand opening over a year ago.

Jeff Finlin’s brilliant new album The Guru in the Girl is due in May, and I’m giddy with anticipation for the rest of the world to hear it. The album is a perfect balance of darkness and light; of regeneration; of love and loss. It embodies poppy folk songs to naked, soul-baring blues. The haunting title track stirs and elevates the soul.

Flight to Mars

Flight To Mars is landing at The Showbox May 12-13 for two RAWK shows with Mike McCready. Proceeds support Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Smith, Jeff Finlin, Will Kimbrough, Brigitte DeMeyer, and other Cool Cats

I’m changing the format here for a bit. Life continues to bombard me; so instead of posting individual reviews, I will post several short reviews or links to artists who have caught my ear recently.

Atlanta’s Joe Smith and the Going Concern have a catchy new single out. Joe, originally from California, was heavily influenced by the punk scene, including John Doe’s X and Mike Watt. This new song, as the title suggests, has much more of a bluesy vibe. Check it below, and be sure to click on the other songs from previous albums to get the full punk flavor. Purchase their merch and check their Facebook page for upcoming events.

Will Kimbrough and Brigitte DeMeyer collaborated on a soulful new folk album called Mockingbird Soul. They will make appearances in Northern California this week, and will head to Europe this spring. Check their tour schedules on their websites. Oh, did I mention they moved up to #11 in the Americana Charts this week? Lee Zimmerman of No Depression recently gave their album a glowing review: http://nodepression.com/album-review/two-perfect-pair

Here’s a pic of the pair in Seattle a few years ago:

Will and Brigitte at The Royal Room – Columbia City (Seattle)

Jeff Finlin continues to amaze with his prolific artistry. He just finished recording a new album entitled The Guru in The Girl with Holland’s wildly talented Wild Verband. The record is now mastered–release date coming soon. I am delighted to say this may just be his finest work yet. Finlin fans will be truly blown away.

Finlin also spent most of February on a successful UK tour with Pete Bruntnell and Clive Barnes , selling out several venues along the way. I will defer, once again, to Paul Kerr of Blabber ‘n’ Smoke to wax poetic about their show in Glasgow:

https://paulkerr.wordpress.com/2017/02/21/jeff-finlin-clive-barnes-sounds-in-the-suburbs-glasgow-sunday-19th-february-2017/

Before he left for the UK, Jeff Finlin released a stunning video which brings to life his poem, “The Tantric Co-motion of Parvati on I-75” from his collection of poetry, Seduction of Radha. Finlin narrates. The video was beautifully directed by Verginia Grando.

 

 

Seattle’s Jackrabbit released the rock-driven Dead Man’s Song in December. Take a listen and catch a rare show in Ballard.

At the Tractor Tavern back in December, we met a nice fellow by the name of Mark who manages a singer-songwriter website here: http://singersongwriterslive.com/ On it, he lists Seattle-area shows at venues who cater to singer-songwriters. He includes artist links, and an easy-to-follow legend for those bands he’s seen before and recommends, to those whom he heard were worth a listen.

Support indie artists! Go see a show and be sure to purchase the merch!

 

2016: A Year In Review

Tom Petty and Mudcrutch played The Filmore in San Francisco this year.

Another year flew by. Another year of fantastic shows and new musical discoveries. This year in music took me from Seattle to England to Amsterdam to Portland to San Francisco and back. I’m grateful for the opportunities I had this year to see local bands and national legends. I also posted several online reviews to No Depression, the journal of roots music. Although we lost some musical greats, I am grateful I had the opportunity to see some of them over the years, including David Bowie and Merle Haggard. I’m also grateful for new friends and for adding lovely new branches to my musical family tree.

Now, on to the fun stuff. I thought I’d share a review in pictures, which includes shows and albums I reviewed. Check ’em out online, or find them linked on my feed to the right.

I started out 2016 with a review of Lookout from a sweet ‘n’ local indie-pop band Fine Prince.

Seattle’s Fine Prince

Joy Mills, Cahalen Morrison, and Blackberry Bushes graced The Tractor’s stage in January.

Joy Mills

Cahalen Morrison

Jes Raymond of Blackberry Bushes

Bizarre musical coincidences occurred all year. I was contacted by Jeff Finlin to post his video “I Killed Myself Last Night” from his 2013 album My Moby Dick, which led to an unexpected friendship and a realization that our mutual friends in music criss-crossed the globe. Jeff also had a ridiculously prolific year. He toured Europe twice, released a retrospective album called Life After Death – The Essential Jeff Finlin, published a poetry book, started a yoga for recovery organization, published 365 Days of Recovery Yoga, and will drop yet another new album soon.

Jeff Finlin

Noam Weinstein released one of my favorite albums of 2016, On Waves.

Noam Weinstein

Colt Kraft brought his ganja country sound and dapper sweaters to Darrell’s Tavern in Shoreline.

Colt Kraft and Jamie Henwood

Peter Bruntnell,who toured the U.K. and Europe with Jeff Finlin and Clive Barnes this year, also produced one of the best songs and most scathing music videos of the year called “Mr. Sunshine” from his new critically acclaimed album, Nos Da Comrade. Now, it’s December, and the nightmare of greed and power continues on our side of The Pond…

Massy Ferguson played a final show at Jet Bar in Lynnwood before it closed for good. Massy wins for most shows attended this year. I lost track of how many times we saw them.

Massy Ferguson

New York’s Sean Rowe blew us away in Bothell inside a tiny classroom-sized listening room at McMenamins.

Sean Rowe

A trip to Leavenworth for a Knight family reunion also reunited us with Alisa Milner and Ian McFeron, who played Icicle Creek Brewery. They got married later this year!

Alisa Milner and Ian McFeron

In March, Massy Ferguson and The Dusty 45’s joined forces to support Seattle’s DESC organization.

DESC Fundraiser

Ethan Anderson and Adam Monda of Massy Ferguson

Billy Joe Huels of Dusty 45’s

Dave Goedde of Massy Ferguson

Vaudeville Etiquette, Seattle darlings, played The Sunset and all over Seattle this year.

Tayler Lynn and Bradley Laina of Vaudeville Etiquette

A trip overseas led to meeting promoters and musicophiles Oliver and Birgit Gray of Winchester. Their Swiss Cottage and The Railway Inn are havens for many US and UK Americana artists, including a handful that we saw this year: Richmond Fontaine, Jeff Finlin, The Believers, and Fernando.

Birgit and Oliver Gray’s Swiss Cottage near Winchester, and below, Jo’s Melkweg Cafe in Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, we met Erik and Jo, Wisconsin expats and owners of Jo’s Cafe in the Melkweg music venue. We didn’t see music on that trip, but we met some beautiful people who care about quality music and esteemed musicians.

 Jeremy Nail’s gem of a new album, My Mountain, was produced by Alejandro Escovedo, who also dropped a highly acclaimed album of his own this year called Burn Something Beautiful.

Jeremy Nail

We drove to Portland and watched Todd Snider’s triumphant return to his solo show. Rorey Carroll opened with her beautiful, biting folk songs.

Todd Snider at Aladdin Theater in Portland

Richmond Fontaine–another beautiful coincidence. As we were touring Europe, Willy Vlautin and crew were just days behind us. They also visited Oliver and Birgit in Winchester–they were one of the first American bands to ever play The Railway and Swiss Cottage as one of Oliver’s promotional acts years ago. We finally converged in Portland and witnessed Richmond Fontaine’s swan song. The band was breaking up. They’ve taken the rest of the year to do so, with a final tour in Europe just wrapping up in October.

Flight To Mars – Seattle’s UFO tribute band gets together annually for a great cause – Crohn’s and Collitis Foundation.

Mike McCready and Tim DiJulio of Flight To Mars

Greg Townson was busy with a new solo album and tour with Los Straitjackets as well as a Hi-Risers reunion.

Will Kimbrough, Nashville’s prolific singer-songwriter-producer-session artist had a very busy year doing all that. Live At Coast was finally released; and Willie Sugarcapps, his Lower Alabama supergroup, also dropped a new album, Paradise Right Here.

David Corley came back from the dead (literally) to release his sophomore album Lights Out and tour Europe again.

David Corley in The Netherlands. Photo by Niels Knelis Meijer

Aaron Lee Tasjan, another acclaimed Nashville artist who just dropped a new album called Silver Tears, played a free show at McMenamins in Bothell to maybe 50 people. His clear vox and bluesy guitar licks sold us. The talented Brian Wright shared the spotlight and backed him. Where the hell was everyone?

Brian Wright and Aaron Lee Tasjan

John Doe — a new album, a new book on LA punk, a new video, and a new tour, including a stop in Ballard’s Tractor Tavern. A thrill to meet him. Always keeping things fresh and remembering his punk roots at the same time. Opening and backing him was Texan Jesse Dayton, guitarist extraordinaire, who also came back and played a duo show at McMenamins and dropped a new album.Click on individual pics for a closer look…

Ted Leo (of The Pharmacists) and Aimee Mann played Barboza, the tiny club in the basement of Capitol Hill’s Neumos. It was a Pharmacists Acoustic Greatest Hits Night, as well as a splash of new music with Aimee from The Both.

Fernando, who shares lead guitarist Dan Eccles with Richmond Fontaine, came to Hotel Albatross for a lovely solo performance. Two greats, Austin Lucas and Adam Faucett played sets later that night. Later in the summer, Fernando played an outdoor show with Dan at McMenamins in Bothell.

Fernando Viciconte played Hotel Albatross in Ballard with Austin Lucas and Adam Faucett

Fernando and Dan at McMenamins in Bothell, late summer

Massy Ferguson released Run It Right Into The Wall, another fantastic rock album. Ethan Anderson of Massy would later bond with Pete Bruntnell in England at the Maverick Music Fest. You’re welcome!

Pete Bruntnell with Ethan Anderson at Maverick Music Festival, England

Massy Ferguson’s CD Release Party took place at The Triple Door, the day before we flew out to see Tom Petty with Mudcrutch…

Massy Ferguson and most of the audience. Photo by Rich Zollner

Tom Petty reunited with his old band Mudcrutch and dropped a “2“! Better than the first album, with each artist getting his chance to shine, and more Petty-esque songs. He played The Filmore in San Francisco, and we had to go. Click on individual pics for a closer look. Tom’s also gearing up for a massive 2017 tour, celebrating The Heartbreakers’ 40th year anniversary!

The Swearengens, a favorite Ballard alt-country band, played The Sunset Tavern in July. I’m excited to see them perform once more at The Tractor’s holiday bash with Massy Ferguson and Jackrabbit on December 23.

Fredd Luongo of The Swearengens

The very next day, we came back to Ballard to rock out with surf instrumentalists Los Straitjackets at The Tractor. El Vez joined them on stage!

The B-52’s at Woodland Park ZooTunes summer concert series. Pass the tanning butter! Always a great venue for summer shows. They played all the hits to a sold-out crowd.

In August, Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell of Austin surprised us with a full band and backup singers, stepping up his game and into a funky groove.

Shinyribs at The Tractor

The Believers, with Craig Aspen and Cynthia Frazzini, tore it up at Oak Harbor Music Fest Labor Day weekend to a huge crowd. They celebrated a 15-year reunion with their original band.

The Believers with Craig Aspen, Garey Shelton, and Cynthia Frazzini

The Paperboys from Vancouver came late September to The Nectar in Fremont. They are always a joy to see, and bring a full band with brass, banjo, fiddle, and flute!

The Paperboys – with Tom Landa

Jenny Whiteley went back to her roots on her latest album, The Original Jenny Whiteley (2016 Black Hen Music). The album was recorded on Wolfe Island, Ontario at the magical Old Post Office, and produced by multi-instrumentalist and humanitarian Hugh Christopher Brown (the man can do no wrong!).

Her father Chris and uncle Ken Whiteley joined her on the album, which includes original material interwoven with traditional folk and bluegrass songs, continuing her father’s legacy. They keep things simple, clean, and stripped down, all the while honoring the genre and letting Jenny’s rich, earthy vocals shine.

Wanda Jackson with The Dusty 45’s backing, came to the EMP (MoPop) in Seattle. It was such a thrill to finally see Ms. Jackson, the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll!

Dean Owens caught my ear this year when he released “Cotton Snow”, a song about the Civil War’s bloody Battle of Franklin. Find Dean in Nashville–or Scotland. He will release a new album soon called Southern Wind, a follow-up to 2015’s Into The Sea. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. I’ll leave you with Dean’s latest Christmas video he produced with The Whisky Hearts. He’ll play Edinburgh 12 December.