We didn't catch a whole lot of shows this summer, and only one on this list, but thanks to some generous artists and savvy tapers you can enjoy these from the comfort of your MP3 player. I recommend downloading the variable bit rate MP3's as a zip file, unzipping, and then importing into iTunes.
I made it in to San Francisco the other night to see Howe Gelb (known as Giant Sand Man in our house) play at Cafe Du Nord. For those who don't know, Cafe Du Nord is a fancy old speakeasy on upper Market St. My friend Paul K. was up for it, albeit apprehensive because of how we all got burned by that awful Giant Sand show about 7 years ago,,, when they finally started their show at 11:30 pm on a Sunday night, all of us having to work in the a.m. and we had to endure the most miserable opening bands in the history of my concert-attending history. And I had sold them on Giant Sand because of the Calexico guys who were rounding out the band (as they had for many years, but hasn't happened since as far as I know.) None of the other dozen people from that fateful night would dare!
So Paul was game and we went downstairs early (glad they weren't upstairs in the elegant but overtly-large Swedish American Hall) and enjoyed some peppery amber ale from Morgan Hill. Poppy something, worth noting. Anyway, the opener was Kate Maki, and she was good. Last time I saw Howe Gelb (solo), his opener was a then-unknown named M. Ward. So we must give Kate a good listen because Mr. Gelb is always adding to his discovery credits. Kate sounds a lot like Jenny Lewis, hardly a bad thing. Howe and his mini-band (bass and drums) supported most of her set, which was interesting but ultimately they took away more than they added, which is a credit to her songs.
The best way to describe a Giant Sand-ish show is that it's the smallest and most devoted Sea of Dudes you ever see. Yes, 95% dudes, and several very tall ones. No casual listeners or chatterboxes in the room. It's like a room full of Bob Dylan worshippers. Not a word or twitch must be missed! I lighten up so I don't creep myself out, but I must admit, when it comes to onstage banter, he's among the best. Not as sharp and wicked as Robyn Hitchcok, but he's almost as twisted. Yeah, he's up there w/ the banter. Some of my other favorite banter bands are Camber Van Beethoven and of course the old Bad Livers. Who doesn't love a good roadtrip story?
So Howe is funny and as dry as the town of Tucson where he resides. This night, the banter was better than the music, which is fine since I have the records at home. It's a mini-tour and his takeout band isn't exactly fire underneath, which is I guess the difference between a Howe Gelb show and a Giant Sand show. This night's tape (if there is one, I sent my DAT deck to Wisconsin) probably isn't a keeper for the archives but I appreciate the guy getting up there and having the balls to be DARING w/ his music. Art created onstage trumps all. Paul and I were pleased to make it out the show, and we vowed to do this more often. Or at least set up Dexter Gordon on the turntable in the backyard more often! Thanks to the early schedule, we were back in Alameda at 11:00! Clubowners... let me go on to say that there's nothing us daddies appreciate more than EARLY SHOWS. Doors 7, show 8, done at 10:30 or so.... that's very workable.
The phrase "Hardly Strictly Bluegrass" must have been inspired by the 90's Austin, Texas band Bad Livers. They broke up in 2000 just before Warren Hellman launched his awesome free festival in 2001.
Bad Livers' music always seemed to show up at HSBF in one way or another. The sound man for Emmylou Harris played their records just before her set the first 3 years (and for all I know, he plays them at all of her gigs.) Then Danny Barnes began showing up in person, playing w/ Tim O'Brien on the main stage and Robert Earl Keen's now-traditional slot at the Rooster Stage. His electric band (The Collective) played the Porch Stage in 2006.
Now... somehow... the Bad Livers are getting together for a special reunion show (shows?) at Hardly Strictly VIII. Like I was saying, these guys were the definitive "hardly, strictly bluegrass" band that was as influenced by Motorhead and the Bad Brains as they were by Earl Skruggs and Bill Monroe.
Bad Livers had a way of making a banjo, fiddle, and bass sound as HEAVY as Metallica or Cream. It's really a treat to see Barnes and Mark Rubin get together again. They ranked at the very top of the banter scale with their discussions about fishing and food. We don't know yet if Ralph White will round out the trio, or if it will be Bob Grant, or somebody else. You just might find out here first.
I'm not trying to be a hep music journalist here but since I do have friends that like to keep up vicariously with my music adventures, here are some the things I listened to this year... in no particular order:
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
Era Vulgaris is far and away my favorite record this year and I consider it to be at a level of genius on par with the Flaming Lips' Pink Robots album. Some might snark, especially old school Queens fans. My old friends who have gone a little soft are horrified. And even Joshe Homme, the Queens mastermind, would squirm at any hint of pretention.
Just about anybody who knows me or this blog knows that Danny Barnes has been my favorite musician for 17 years or so. (His band used to be Bad Livers.) During that time, we've become good friends and I also handle his website. He's always gotten the nod from world class musicians (Bill Frisell, John Paul Jones, Tim O'Brien, and many others) but he's remained in relative obscurity to the masses... until this past weekend.
While on tour with Robert Earl Keen and warming up for the likes of Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews Band, turns out that Matthews himself is a huge fan and invited him to play w/ DMB at some Texas shows. You could say it went over BIG!!
Now... those who know me also know I've never been a Dave Matthews fan but how can I not like somebody w/ the good sense and courage to share his coveted stage w/ Mr. Barnes? Way to go Dave!! First, in Houston, Barnes debuted on at 20 minute version of "Bartender" and the DMB encouraged him to just PLAY. And play he did... check out the accompanying audio/video and the crowd goes bonkers. Same deal the following night in Dallas with "Corn Bread" and "Lie In Our Graves."
It went over so well that Dave Matthews called him up and asked him to come down to L.A. for 2 shows at the Hollywood Bowl in early October. A couple days after that, Barnes will in the Bay Area for a solo gig opening for Charlie Louvin in Saratoga and will appear w/ Robert Earl Keen at Hardly Strictly.
I've been checking out the DMB chat boards and the fanbase is going nuts.... they are calling for Barnes to join the band. And they're astute enough to figure out that both live in the Seattle area, so some kind of upcoming teamwork is more than plausible. Just watch these performances and look how jazzed the DMB is on our guy Barnes. Of course Barnes had nothing but the best to say about Dave, his band, and his crew, not to mention the audience.
Our favorite weekend of the year is almost upon us.... the seventh Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.This year, thankfully, doesn't have any crossover superstars that make the scene entirely too crazy (such as Willie Nelson or Dolly Parton) but we still have to make some utterly cruel choices, especially late on Saturday. We get some good rockin' on Sunday morning and Friday's evening program is great too, although we'll miss it! Continue on for a full rundown....
Friday begins with the children's program in the morning. If your kids aren't in school, this is worth attending. Wish our schools were going. This afternoon, T-Bone Burnett and Friends play at 4:15. I don't know who the friends are this year, but last year Marc Ribot was playing guitar and it was our favorite gig of the weekend (after Danny Barnes Collective, or course!) Jeff Tweedy of Wilco fame follows at 5:45. We've always liked Tweedy... we know for a fact that he's one of the most AUTHENTIC "rock" stars out there, as we knew him in the early Uncle Tupelo days. As a mater of fact, my wife and I's first date was sort of a double date w/ Tweedy and then girlfriend Heather, who I worked with at Cicero's in St. Louis. Lord knows there's some songs about her! Well, everything worked out for all of us, I suppose. I have vivid memories of Tweedy hanging out at Cicero's, smoking his Camels and drinking Rolling Rock. He was always friendly but reserved. Anyway, my opinion is he always deserved his fame and his music just keeps getting better.
I'm going to miss Friday's program because I'm taking Danny Barnes down to Saratoga where he warms up for country legend Charlie Louvin. We might pop over the hill to join up with Robert Earl Keen's band in Santa Cruz because Barnes is also their banjo player. He's been out on the road with them the past few weeks opening for Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews Band. Turns out that Dave Matthews is, like us, a HUGE Danny Barnes fan and invited him to sit in the past coupla nights in Texas. Way to go Barnes!!
Saturday begins simple enough. The Knitters (cowboy version of punk legends X w/ Dave Alvin on guitar) kick it off at the Star Stage. For those who don't know, the Star Stage is a great place to set up w/ the family because it has a lllllllong meadow. The Rooster Stage is more challenging w/ the kiddies, but we'll have to spend some time there as Guy Clark plays at 12:40 followed by the one and only Nick Lowe! We'll then head over to the Arrow Stage (which can sometimes get blasted out by the Main/Banjo stage) but we'll want to see a rare appearance of The Flatlanders at 2:20 followed by Michelle Shocked at 3:45. But the trick here is to also witness Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder w/ special guest Bruce Hornsby at 3:20 at the Banjo Stage. Skaggs and KT are always worth seeing... it's amazing how an acoustic band can project such a Wall of Sound.
While Skaggs and Company are followed by major draw Gillian Welch, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones play the Star Stage at 4:10. If you've never seen them, I strongly recommend dropping in. Hell... you could spend all day at the Star Stage. We just might. Because after Bela is Los Lobos, one of the consistently best live bands in the history of the planet. And here is where it gets cruel, because the afore-mentioned T-Bone Burnett and Friends plays the Arrow Stage at 5:20 and Robert Earl Keen (w/ Barnes on banjo!!) plays the Rooster Stage at 5:45. And.... Steve Earle and the Bluegrass Dukes play the Banjo Stage at 6. Got that??? It doesn't get any tougher than this.
Sunday is more clear cut. We must arrive early to see our beloved Mother Hips at 11 am at the Arrow Stage. The Hips are California Rock incarnate. After they finish, we'll dash over to the Star Stage for The Sadies, whom we haven't seen since an adventurous night in Tucson several years ago. This is countrified rock THRASHED TO THE KILT. If you still feel like "hardly bluegrass", stick around for the Heartless Bastards, one of the news bands on the Fat Possum label (modern dirty blues.) If you want to see a true legend instead, Charlie Louvin plays the Rooster Stage at the same time (12:55). Charlie is in his 80's and still sounds magnificent.
The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience plays the Banjo Stage at 1:45, followed there by banjo legend Earl Skruggs at 2:55. You can't go wrong spending the afternoon here at the Banjo stage, as Skruggs is followed by our favorite flatpicker (and Henry's favorite) Doc Watson. But the Rooster Stage is competitive too, with Jorma Kaukonen (of Hot Tuna and the original Jefferson Airplane) at 3:15 and Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men at 4:30, who will play hard-driving blues rock.
Alvin could be this year's MVP around the festival, with his own gig and The Knitters. He could very well show up w/ Los Lobos and/or T-Bone Burnett. Who knows? Barnes was last year's MVP, as he had his own Collective gig, plus REK and Tim O'Brien. Make sure you see Dave Alvin at least once.
As is tradition, Emmylou Harris closes the Banjo Stage at 5:45 on Sunday, but we'll be enjoying the best pure bluegrass band in the world over at the Star Stage... the Del McCoury Band.
I don't know how well we'll stay on target here. We might just set up base at the Star Stage and ramble from there. Glad the stroller days are over, that's for sure, and I always welcome some foggy weather to stunt the crowd a little bit. We've never missed a day of this festival since inception and hopefully never will.... it's the most amazing gift for Bay Area music fans imaginable. Hope to see ya there!
Wayne invited us to another one of his luxury parties... this time in Napa Valley. The house has 2 pools and overlooks the vineyards of Yountville. Friends had assembled from all over, including Hong Kong and Bangkok. Even Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Betty Hsu was there, but sorry folks I didn't take any pictures of her (truly sorry) so you'll have to settle for the link below.
Good news for drummer extroadinaire Wally Ingram... the doc says he's cancer free!
For those not in the know, Wally has played with everyone from David Lindley, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Sheryl Crow, and most recently Stockholm Syndrome. I used to see him duo with Lindley every chance I got. This photo is from Sausalito in 2001, where they played the most epic version of "Sport Utility Suck" ever and genuinely insulted a good portion of the art fair crowd!!
