Tag: baseball

WATCH: The Pine Hill Haints, “Satchel Paige Blues” (Live at Standard Deluxe)

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Artist: The Pine Hill Haints
Hometown: Florence, Alabama
Single: “Satchel Paige Blues” (Live at Standard Deluxe)
Album: The Song Companion of a Lonestar Cowboy
Release Date: May 14, 2021
Label: Single Lock Records

Editor’s Note: The Pine Hill Haints have played every edition of the 280 Boogie, the yearly festival hosted by the music venue Standard Deluxe in Waverly, Alabama. This is the festival’s 20th year.

In Their Words: “Satchel Paige was in it to win it. The scouts were gonna come check him out, and it rained. He was dressed in his uniform holding a ball and glove. He was screaming that he wanted to play on the mound. I can totally identify with that. That’s why I wrote the song. It’s a mean blues number and I wrote it because the Haints totally identify with him.

“Growing up, I heard Auburn had the best punk rock scene in Alabama, so that’s where I went to college. My life changed down there when I was in school. Waverly still has a remnant of that scene, to me. It’s one of the first places I started to come to terms with who I was — my country side — and that has nothing to do with cowboy hats and instrumentation. It has something to do with muddy rivers and eagles, and that’s what country really is. That’s Waverly. We played there around a bonfire long before there was a 280 Boogie. People would dance all night. It was special. It still is. If playing at Standard Deluxe is what ‘making it’ is, that’s all I want. Anything beyond that is extra.” — Jamie Barrier

Photo credit: Abraham Rowe

Gig Bag: Michigan Rattlers

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, the band Michigan Rattlers show us what they gotta have on the road.

Touring life is mostly made up of downtime. Usually it’s in a van or in a bar, so you have to be careful not to spend all of it staring at a phone or drinking. Books are great.

So are notebooks. There are pens and markers all over the van. Plus, Adam Reed paints and draws. He designs a lot of our merch and stuff while we’re out on tour.

The first time we ever came back from a tour with cash, we spent it right away on new gloves. Playing catch is about the only active thing we ever do. Sometimes we even get games going if we can find more players.

Seeeeds.

Wearing the same thing every day is the best way to travel.

Lede photo credit: Kris Wixom
All other photos courtesy of the artist.

Gig Bag: Reuben Bidez

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Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Reuben Bidez catalogs the items he always has nearby when out on the road.


Denim Jacket: It doesn’t really matter even if it’s the middle of summer, I’m gonna bring my denim jacket with me. It’s worn in and comfortable, and in the evenings I get chilly. Especially in those air conditioned venues. So, 9 times out of 10, if you come to a show, you’ll see me wearing this jacket.

Astros Baseball Cap: I’m a big baseball fan! And although I was raised a Braves fan and still am, I got pulled into the Astros by my friend Collin McHugh. He and I had been friends since his minor league days, and I got to watch him make his way up to the majors. We developed a deep friendship along the way, both loving what the other one did for a living. We both joke about having job envy for the other. He clearly has the better job though…

My Guitar: Marcella, my 12-string. This seems like an obvious thing to bring with you, but sometimes I’ll tour with just this guitar. It was given to me by a family friend and named after my ex-wife’s grandmother who had passed away. We had traveled to Rome, Georgia, for the funeral and the family was sitting around talking in the family room of a family friend named James. There were guitars everywhere and I went over and picked up this guitar. James asked if I had a 12-string, which I didn’t at the time. He insisted that I take it since he already had another acoustic 12-string. I named her Marcella that weekend. She has such a magical sound and can really fill the room.

Baseball Glove: Did I mention I’m a baseball fan? It’s best to keep a glove with you at all times. Two gloves if you have the room. There’s a lot of hurry up and wait when touring, so I like to toss the ball around to kill some time. Pictured here is my World Series ball from Game 5 this year. It was the most exhilarating game I had ever been to and has maybe ruined sporting events for me for the rest of my life…

Seinfeld Videos: What’s the deal with entertaining yourself? Yeah, I guess I do like to stay entertained. Depending on how long the tour is, you’ll need to take at least two seasons with you. It’s my favorite show of all time and instantly puts me in a good mood when I put one on. I got to meet Jerry Seinfeld briefly one night in Nashville, it was pretty surreal.

Harmonicas: The first instrument I ever played. My dad taught me how to play blues harp. Then I started collecting different keys. I like to keep one with me in the car. You get tired of the radio sometimes, and it’s a great way to create some new melodies. Just make sure it doesn’t drive your bandmates crazy…

Photo credit: Cal Quinn

Merge Records Celebrates Minor League Baseball with New Compilation

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Music and baseball are two of America's greatest pastimes. It's not surprising, then, that the two pair so well together — the crack of a bat perfectly complementing the opening notes of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." That being said, you wouldn't be alone in feeling a little worn-out by the music that so often gets played at baseball games. (We get it, guys. The "We Are the Champions" punchline is a little overused at this point.) Lucky for you, Merge Records is here to save the day. 

The Durham, North Carolina-based independent record label known for acts like M. Ward, Arcade Fire, and many, many more teamed up with local AAA team the Durham Bulls for Merge Records Night, an annual event in its fourth incarnation. Taking place tonight as the Bulls take on the Norfolk Tides, Merge Records Night features Merge artists in-person — John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats is throwing out the first pitch; guitarist William Tyler is perfoming the National Anthem — and over the loudspeakers, as the Merge team is curating tonight's at-bat music. Fans in attendance can pick up a CD sampler featuring those very tunes.

The Durham Bulls are also partners of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, a nonprofit and friend of BGS working to preserve and protect traditional Southern music. "[The Bulls] started a new brewery called Bull Durham Beer," Music Maker co-founder Timothy Duffy says. "Right by the box office, they’re opening a blues club. For every beer that you buy there at the taproom, they’re giving Music Maker a dollar and also providing a budget for us to hire Music Maker acts. I think it’s going to be the nation’s greatest blues clubs because it’s one of the only places you’ll see these kind of guys playing. "

The blues club isn't open just yet, but in the meantime, check out the stellar lineup for tonight's walk-up music and CD sampler below. If you're in the Durham area, pick up your own ticket/CD combo right here. And if that isn't enough Merge for ya on this fine Thursday, WUNC will feature Merge music and periodic conversations with Merge co-founder and Superchunk bassist Laura Ballance from noon to midnight EDT today. Non-locals can listen online here.

Merge x Durham Bulls sampler CD track listing:

1. The Mountain Goats, “Choked Out”
2. Wye Oak, “Watching the Waiting”
3. Little Scream, “Love as a Weapon”
4. M. Ward, “Girl From Conejo Valley”
5. William Tyler, “Kingdom of Jones”
6. Mount Moriah, “Cardinal Cross”
7. Eric Bachmann, “Carolina”
8. Bob Mould, “Voices in My Head”
9. Will Butler, “Madonna Can’t Save Me Now”
10. A Giant Dog, “Sleep When Dead”
11. Benji Hughes, “Magic Summertime”
12. Hiss Golden Messenger, “Biloxi”
13. The Clientele, “E.M.P.T.Y.”
14. Superchunk, “Seed Toss”