Austin Texas- Unbelievably Overwhelming; Day One

I just returned from the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas. My first trip to Texas and what better way to spend it than with three, 12-hour days of music in a row!
After telling her this was in fact my first trip to Austin, a beautiful young debutante named Ashley asked me during the Dirty Dozen Brass Band if I liked it so far . . . “How can you not like this!?!?”

I don’t think I have the time to write something about every single act I saw, so I’m going to hit the really high points for you. Ranking them seems silly, so I’ll go by the best (and worse in some cases) sets from each day.

Friday Sept. 25-
The day began at 11:45am with Bobby Bare Jr. This guys dad was a legendary songwriter in Nashville and now they’ve teamed up for a CD of ‘crooner’ songs. But BB Jr. plays swampy country funk with a bari-sax and lots of electric guitar. Even at 11:45 in the morning, this rocked. Have you ever heard three people harmonize on the word “Mother-Fucker?” I hadn’t.

Asleep At the Wheel-These guys were veterans when I started listening to Country Music, and they’re still going. This is western-swing like very few others are doing these days. So much so that they’ve done some sort of tribute to Bob Wills (Tex-Swing pioneer), I guess it’s a musical. But Asleep’s fiddle player, Jason Roberts, does a spot on Bob Wills impression, concluding “There’s not much fiddlin’ to it, but they’s a whole world of people who loves it!” I’m not sure if this is to be laughed at, but the lady who was signing the performance for the hearing-impared had her work cut out for her. She bobbed and bounced with the beats while playing air-fiddle during the solos, and I’m not sure if there IS a sign for “Yippee-Ki-Yo Ki-Ey”
One of their songs, I’m not sure which, contained a beautiful line that I’m going to keep for future reference should I ever try to lasso me a cow-girl of my own; “You’ve got a smile like an acre of sunflowers.”

Even though I was covering ACL for a Folk magazine (www.folkwax.com) I couldn’t resist seeing some of the ‘buzz’ bands that were here, firstly Kasabian. Hipsters with the wrong hair color in their pumas, and faded, ass-clutching wranglers gathered with anticipation. As soon as the British 5-piece came on stage the air filled with beach balls and weed smoke. 1:30 in the afternoon is the peak heat of the day, and these guys obviously had a hangover, but they got into their set eventually. One guitarist did nothing but make noise on the three high strings of his guitar, and he had an Omni-chord in front of him that I’m pretty sure never got touched. I was pissed! If you ever see something called an Omni-chord in your local pawn shop, buy that sucker! They’re endless amounts of musical instrument imitation fun.
Kasabian’s singer reminded me of the way Scott Weiland must’ve performed- striking the Christ-pose, standing on the drum riser, and swinging the microphone around. And when the singer wasn’t playing guitar, this old, bald, at least 60 year old man would come out and move the mic stand out of his way. I’m sorry, but no one is so good that they can’t move their own mic stand, much less make a geriatric stage hand do it. I didn’t hate these guys, maybe because they were only the third band I saw, and they had some Zep-heavy riffs at points, but I feel like another UK band, The Music, were doing this better about 4 years ago.

At 2:30pm the preverbial !@# hit the fan. Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule were definitely in my top three performances of the entire weekend. Mule’s regular keyboard player couldn’t make it but Haynes landed a pretty good replacement- John F-N Medeski! (Medesk, Martin & Wood folks, look them up) This guy is a raging banshi of the organ and to hear him and Haynes trading licks was out of this world. It goes to show that both these guys could jam with God and Satan and it would sound like Les Claypool. Its hard to go in-depth about jam-bands, but if I had to listen to any jam music (and I usually would choose ‘none’) it would definitely be Gov’t Mule. They did “Soulshine,” and “Slack Jawed Jezebel,” but the jamming was where it was at. Haynes and Medeski can do 10 minute solos any time they want. Had I paid for a ticket, this set would’ve been worth every penny.

After one of “Austin’s Best Burgers” and damn-near collapsing from heat-exhaustion (It was 107! A WV farm-boy ain’t used to that) I skipped Lucinda Williams for some much needed shade time. Then I headed to see Thievery Corporation. Now this is a band that keeps your attention. There were no less than nine people on the stage at one time. They had two percussionists, two turntable-ists, bass, sitar, and a three piece horn section. One singer sang in Spanish, one in Brazilian, and then three MC’s from Jamaica. The second song they did was their track off the Garden State Soundtrack. It was incredibly crispy live. The programmed beats that underscored every song can get old, but it will pull you in first. The Brazilian looked like a futuristic warrior princess, and it didn’t matter that no one could understand what she was singing, it was just so beautiful. They sang a song called “Marching the Hate Machines Into the Sun” as a closer, and it blew everyone away. This band had generated a buzz amongst both the older and younger crowd. It was a surprising mix of both. There was lots of pot-toking during this set as well. I would hate to be Blues Traveler, who played this stage next.

This is when I made a decision opposite the majority of Thievery fans; as I walked towards John Prine it was as if I was facing an exodus of people, young and old, lit joints in hand, on their way to see the Allman Brothers Band. I was like a fish swimming up stream. There were some young people at Prine, but not as many as the Allmans.

I already said I’m not a jam-fan and that I was there to cover folk music. John Prine IS folk music. He wrote “Angel from Montgomery,” made famous by Bonnie Raitt and others. All I can really say about this elder-statesmen of songwriting is that he was incredible. If there was a school for songwriters, the introductory course should be on John Prine and it would be called “Three Chords & the Truth.” His gravelly voice is sounding more like Dylan, but there’s no question his lyrics are profound and come across clean and clear. One of his best lines was about being “as Welcome as a Wal-Mart store” and not just anyone can sing about “cherry wine” and a place called “bear creek” without sounding cheesy. Prine did. Go find a copy of his song “Sam Stone”- THIS is songwriting.

The sun began setting behind John Prine and Keane, who played at 7:30, got an eerie glaze that could only come from natural lighting effects. They’re a space-pop trio that I don’t mind calling Coldplay-lite. It’s arena ready stuff, contemplative and catchy with less falsetto and more belting. Their keyboard player at least made it look hard. It’s saying something if you can out-dramatize your keyboard playing more than Chris Martin (coldplay).

Again I had to ignore the folk of Lyle Lovett because I could never live with myself if I had missed The Black Crowes. Its rumored that they’re going to do a new album, and I’m pretty sure they opened up with some new tracks (but I only own “Shake Your Money Maker” and couldn’t tell you another one of their albums).
I was invigorated for the first 30 minutes of their set. In my head I was already writing a “return of pure rock & roll” manifesto in my head. Music, as we know it, had been saved. Chris Robinson gives all skinny white kids hope; If this guy can come out in leather pants, a white laced-up shirt lookin’ like Jesus and sing like Robert Plant (ooooooooh-YEAH) than anyone of us can!
The first hit they pulled out was “She Talks To Angels,” and the crowd sang along. Sadly, the elation didn’t last long. After the bombardment of ass-kicking rock, and I’m talking clinched devil-horns ass-kicking here, they ventured off into jam land. In other words, they’re out of songs and Chris can only sing for so long before his voice is gone. So they padded the set with gruelingly long guitar solos, some harmonica, rock-organ, and even a drum solo before they finally made it into “Jealous Again” and “Hard to Handle.” Like I said earlier, Warren Haynes is one of the only guitar players that I want to hear wank off for a half hour, NOT Rich Robison and his cronies.

Incredibly disappointed that the return of “rock” is unfortunately still relegated to the Killers and the Bravery, I hung my head and walked my aching knees towards the gate, Sunburned, dehydrated, and moping, not because I was tired and exhausted, but because, for a moment, I thought I was witnessing the return of REAL rock & roll, the best thing since Zeppelin, roll over Stones, and make way for the Black Crowes. Sigh. . . . it was not to be.

Day two is coming sooon. . . .

Current Listening: Betty LaVette-"I've Got My Own Hell To Raise" *Obscure Fiona Apple cover Alert!!!

Top Five Top 5 Lists.

Your mind tends to wander when you're painting the roof of a barn.
It isn't very brainy work, so my mind drifts to musical musings, influences, high points and low points. So by the end of the evenings work, I'd compiled five Top 5 lists in my head. Things I've always wanted to discuss with people, so here's my chance to share it.
Have you ever thought about listing your Top 5 favorite albums? That could never happen for me unless you gave me a genre, a time period, or an artist. Then I could probably come up with a Top 5. So here are today's five Top 5 lists with no explanations, only ranking.

Top 5 Songs from Elvis’ early period.

1. That’s Alright Mama 1955
2. Teddy Bear 1957
3. Heartbreak Hotel 1956
4. All Shook Up 1957
5. Don’t Be Cruel 1956

Top 5 Songs my imaginary band will cover.
1. Runnin’ Down a Dream-Tom Petty
2. I’m Too Sexy-Right Said Fred
3. Funky Town- Wild Cherry
4. Lithium-Nirvana
5. Eight Days A Week-The Beatles

Top 5 Songs I’m ashamed to say I love.
1. Straight Up-Paula Abdul
2. Ice Ice Baby-Vanilla Ice
3. Since You Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
4. Chariot- Gavin Degraw
5. If It Makes You Happy-Sheryl Crow

Top 5 Songs I’ll never be sick of.
1. Good Vibrations- The Beach Boys
2. Georgia On a Fast Train- Billy Joe Shaver
3. Under the Bridge-Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. Baby Don’t You Cry-Ray Charles
5. Another One Bites The Dust- Queen


Top 5 Concerts I’ve been to.
1. George Jones & Tracy Lawrence -Beckley, WV circa 1992
2. Jerry Reed- Beckley, WV circa 1995
3. Rufus Wainwright- James Madison University VA 2002
4. Guster- St. Joseph Philadelphia PA 2001
5. Tool- Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke VA 2002

*Honorable Mention goes to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They're my favorite band and I saw them the same day Johnny Cash died. It was a great concert, but the Queens of the Stone Age were and are terrible.
2nd Honorable Mention to Incubus. My favorite band at the time put on an incredible show, but Hoobastank were and are terrible.

Closing the Mountain Stage curtain. . .for now.

I completed my internship with Mountain Stage this month. If you don't know what Mountain Stage is, I'm disappointed but not surprised. It's kind of West Virginia's best-kept secret. Visit MountainStage.org and see if your public radio station carries it. Or you can listen to last week's episode online now, so there's no excuses.

The best part about my internship is that I was, and will always be, a fan of the show. It was always amazing, everything about it. The way the crew worked as a family. The way they seemed to genuinely miss talking to eachother in the down months. The jokes they throw at each other. The way it truly is a family. And believe me, one of the greatest honors of my entire life is having Bob Thompson, house pianist, write "Welcome to the Mountain Stage Family" in my 20th Anniversary book.

So I'm using this blog to express my gratitude and to brag a little. Not because I'm proud of myself, but because I'm proud of the fact that I experienced some truly unique events that not just anyone will have the opportunity to experience. Granted, most of the people I worked with have been doing this for 20 years or more, so their stories are WAY more unique than mine. Andy was there the first time John Denver ever played "Country Roads," Larry wrote 7 poems for Rolling Stone as a spoof and got a check for $10 when they printed a couple of them. Ramblin' Jack Elliot came over to Linda's house for dinner and stayed for 5 days.

So, as they come to mind, here are the Mountain Stage memories that were truly unique.

* Drinking Stewarts Root Beer with Jimmy Webb- Of course it wasn't just me and Jimmie Webb (Witchita Lineman, McArthur Park) hanging out downstairs with Francis at the main mixing console. But we were the only two simultaneously enjoying a frosty Stewarts beverage and Sylvie Lewis' set. I'll never know which one of us was more enthralled with her at the moment, but looking back I realize the moment was bigger than her four songs. I was sitting next to one of the most legendary songwriters in history and we were both enjoying ourselves thanks to another fantastic songwriter.

*Chuck Prophet gives me a gallon of windshield de-icer- Chuck is a hell of a performer and I remember during his soundcheck with the MS houseband, he was teaching them one of his songs and he says "Its the 'Don't Worry Baby' changes. . .you know that Beach Boys song?"
I knew the Beach Boys song, and I was just glad to know what he was talking about.
But Chuck had came to do MS in his totally disorganized van by himself. So I helped him load his gear back into his van. This must've been April because he found a gallon jug of Windshield "de-icer" and tossed it onto the loading dock. "I won't be needing this anymore." Now keep in mind that I didn't keep this as memoribilia. I kept it because the stuff is handy to have and I would totally save it till next winter. Ok, maybe I kept it just to tell my friends "You see that miraculous pink substance that's magically removing the ice from my windshield right now? Yeah, I got that from Chuck Prophet. Yep, THE Chuck Prophet." (I have to mention that I also took Jimmie Webb's handwritten set-list off the piano after the show was over that night.)

*I gave Joe Craven a complimentary MS hat- Joe Craven came to do MS in Shepardstown, WV with Allison Browne and her band. He's been with David Grissman's Quartet for 15 years or something and he was one of the most amicable performers I had the pleasure of meeting. He sat next to me while I did the timing cues for the other acts and he was really enjoying himself. After the show I was helping with the merchandise and Joe came to check out his stuff. He asked for a hat and, DUH, what better form of advertising? Yes, Mr. Craven, you CAN have a Mountain Stage hat. He was obviously grateful! He was genuinely happy to be getting a free MS hat! That was when I decided I definately needed to shake this man's hand. Now my only regret is that I didn't try to get a couple quotes from him for the Old School Freight Train feature I'm writing for Folkwax.com. He played percussion on their CD and boy it would've looked great if I had a quote from him about these young boys who are baring the "Dawg" torch.

*Playing "What'd I Say" with the Mammals- No, not onstage, during the show. We were in the Keith Alby memorial auditorium ( I think) at Ohio University. I walked upstairs after eating lunch and I realized I was on stage, completely alone. My heart began racing so I jolted over to the piano and started playing that incredible blues riff that Ray Charles wrote spontaneously one night to fill his time obligation at a dance. And of course I don't play the piano anything like Ray Charles, and I should'nt have even been playing the same piano that Bob Thompson was going to play later that evening. But as I was jamming, in walked the Mammals, a "rad trad" band from NY, and their drummer ripped his sticks out of his bag and plopped onto the drum throne and started pecking the ride cymbal just like on the single version of "What'd I Say"! And of course I got so excited that I screwed up and everyone laughed. But they were all smiles and so was I. I guess, technically, I jammed with the Mammals. (Jay Ungar's daughter, Ruth, is in this band, as is Pete Seeger's nephew, can't remember his name.)

*Riding the elevator with Loudon Wainwrith III- It was hard on my nerves to interview a man with more albums than I have years alive on earth. I was nervous, and I wouldn't say it was my best interview, but I think I did well, considering I've lived 1/3 of the life he has. He's a pro afterall. He signed my CD "Adam, Great talking about me!" and as he handed it back to me, he said "We should really talk about you the next time!" So, after having done my best to be a professional and competent 23 year old journalist, I finished my interview and retired to my room for some Miller High Life and a few saftey procedures before bed. I woke up the next morning a little early so I headed downstairs for some outrageously overpriced Starbucks (D.C. Starbucks is even MORE pricey). As the elevator doors opened, there stood the Loud-one, looking me straight in the face. I tried not to laugh, or act like an idiot, but man, I just knew he was thinking "Not you again!" Of course I made small talk about his next tour stop on the way down, but I made sure to avoid him at all costs in the restaurant because he was nice enough to talk to me and act like he enjoyed it, so I at least owe him his privacy.

There are plenty more, but most of them could be considered incriminating, so I'll leave just the tamest of the stories. Seriously, though, I had an amazing experience at Mountain Stage and I hope that my career with them is not over. I really believe in the future of that show and I want more than anything to be a part of it. It really is a family, and they take their family very seriously, so it would be a great honor and priviledge to be associated with the legacy as a professional.
Thanks for the memories-past and future.
DS