Noam Pikelny (Helsinki)
Solo banjo show in support of upcoming album Universal Favorite. Probably won’t be as funny without the inter-song banter…
[Noam Pikelny]
Music Consumed
[Noam Pikelny]
Wood Brothers (Massry Center for the Arts)
Wood Brothers smoked out the Massry in support of a live album recorded at Levon Helm Studios.
[Wood Brothers]
Lee Harvey Osmond (WAMC)
Tom Wilson and his son Thompson making Albany a better place. Running out onstage with an mind blowing a capella version of John Henry into a rocking version of fellow Canadian Fred Eaglesmith’s 49 Tons. They ran through much of Beautiful Scars, pulled some duets from the two recent Blackie and Rodeo Kings records, read a portion of his upcoming book and made the most of a sparsely attended show.
What you missed:
Joshua Tree / Fretboard Summit
Trip to San Diego for friend visitation, Fretboard Summit and a side trip to Joshua Tree National Park. Serendipity reigned as we spent a day waiting in line and failing to get tickets for Paul McCartney at Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown having arrived there in the morning on a sight-seeing whim. Didn’t need to see the band, you could hear them just fine from outside where there was much to see and do. Besides hanging out with the awesome guys on the porch of Chaparrosa Outfitters, there were meteors, a mountain rescue and a gate crashing woman pushed off the bar porch onto a cactus. All while boomer females screamed like teenagers for Sir Paul hoping to catch his ear from the parking lot. Um… they didn’t.
Danny Barnes had to cancel his appearance at the Fretboard Summit (hope things are OK) but Courtney Hartman, Molly Tuttle, Joe K. Walsh, Grant Gordy and the rest made my horrible golf skills tolerable.
[The rude turds who selfishly ran and cut to be first in line for tickets]
[McCartney at Pappy and Harriet’s video from inside…]
[Chaparrosa Outfitters]
[Fretboard Summit]
Keith Pray’s Big Soul Ensemble (Van Dyck)
It’s not many places where you can wander in off the street and hear a great jazz band play an arrangement of a Mr. Bungle tune, but the Van Dyck happens to be one of them.
Dave and Phil Alvin & the Guilty Ones (Helsinki)
Lisa Pankratz, Chris Miller, and Brad Fordham backed up the brothers Alvin. Seemed like they were just at the Hollow, but they can drop by anytime they want…
Sarah Borges opened.
Buke and Gase (Half Moon)
A pleasure to finally see these two do their thing in person. Aleuchatistas opened doing their avant-whatever drum and guitar loopiness.
[Buke and Gase Live (NPR)]
[Aleuchatistas – Sundowning (live Amplified YouTube)]
Danny Barnes, Joe Walsh, Grant Gordy (b side)
This year’s winner of the prize for excellence in banjo shows up in Oneonta with two members of Mr. Sun playing through original music, bluegrass standards and a bit of Thelonius Monk in front of a chatty crowd. Go see them if you can in MD, PA and NYC and try not to talk too much while they’re playing; they don’t show up at your morning conference call and fire up tributes to each other. Come to think of it, wish they would…
[Danny Barnes Gigs]
Miracle Legion (Iron Horse)
Missed them in Albany due to Grey Fox conflict so a mandatory road trip ensued. Worth it just to see Mark’s beard. Fancy Trash opened with the pleasant surprise of Ray Mason on bass. I like Northampton. For those not following along, Miracle Legion has released their formerly hard to find back catalog on Bandcamp. Immerse yourself.
[Fancy Trash (Bandcamp)]
[Miracle Legion (Bandcamp)]
Grey Fox 2016
-
- High Meadow Stage sunset
Another beautiful festival this year. Spent more time playing this year and less time taking pictures so you may want to head to the festival site or links below. Highlights included scary clouds that never did much but killed the heat, Del (as usual), Sierra Hull blowing minds both at the dance tent with Bela Fleck and her big stage set, Bela Fleck and Chris Thile playing something that was definitely not bluegrass… I don’t know what it was, the Wood Brothers getting the party started and Del McCoury and David Grisman just playing tunes together in front of a lot of people. Cool.
[Thursday]
[Friday]
[Saturday]
