Tag: Sam Bush

Get Off Your Ass: February

Posted on by Editor

From now until the end of time, we'll be asking you to Get Off Your Ass with monthly concert picks. We're taking a look at the top shows we want to see in L.A., Nashville, and New York.

Miss Tess & the Talkbacks (Mleo, the Nova Darlings, the Cabin Fever) // February 6 // The Mint // Tickets

Country meets swing for a rockabilly dance party piloted by retro Miss Tess on vocals.

The Brothers Comatose (The Alpine Camp, Patrolled by Radar) // February 18 // The Mint // Tickets

The Morrison brothers took inspiration from their mother’s folk quartet harmonies and created a pure Americana string band powered by rough country vocals.

Aoife O’Donovan (Robert Sarazin Blake) // February 24 // The Largo // Tickets

There’s no excuse to miss this pro performer and moving songwriter fresh with a new batch of songs with the release of her album, In the Magic Hour.

The Infamous Stringdusters feat. Nicki Bluhm (Della Mae) // February 25 // The Troubadour // Tickets

A masterful balance of classic bluegrass and indie-jam grass, the Infamous Stringdusters (especially with the layer of Bluhm’s vocals) are one of the pillars of modern bluegrass on the scene.

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper // February 28 // Pickwick Gardens // Tickets

There definitely should be a flamekeeper kept around when this group plays, given the lightning fast and impressively dexterous bluegrass playing that trails Cleveland’s 10-year run as IBMA’s elected Fiddle Performer of the Year.

 

The Grascals // February 6 // The Station Inn // Tickets

Not only has this group toured with Dolly Parton, but they also performed for recent presidential inaugural balls — this modern bluegrass group is finding the right balance of tradition and contemporary sound.

Graham Nash // February 6 & 7 // City Winery Nashville // Tickets

Got plans? Change them. Don’t pass up the opportunity to see this legend in the cozy winery setting as he embarks on promoting his newest album, This Path Tonight.

Darin and Brooke Aldridge & Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers // February 13 // Cumberland Caverns // Tickets

Enter the depths of this unique venue in the Volcano Room to hear the Aldridges' North Carolina twang and full gospel/a cappella harmony bluegrass of Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers.

Valentine’s Day with Sam Bush // February 14 // City Winery Nashville // Tickets

Feel the love and join the King of Telluride and Newgrass for an evening of musical nimbleness over a bottle of wine on this very special occasion.

Trick Pony // February 14 // Bluebird Cafe // Tickets

Amped-up electric country duo with a fiery lead in Heidi Newfield who pushes out melodies that will definitely get stuck in your head.

Hey Marseilles // February 17 // Exit/In // Tickets

Temper Trap meets the Decemberists meets Semisonic — this group creates a dreamy wonderland of West Coast beach drive tunes.

 

Ryan Bingham // February 5 // Irving Plaza // Tickets

Bingham’s former rodeo days inform his Texas Americana sound and undeniable talent (he performed and co-wrote music with T Bone Burnett for the film Crazy Heart) that will have you dreaming of taking to the open road for a dusty drive.

Chamomile & Whiskey // February 18 // Rockwood Stage 1 // Free

Born out of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this group blends Irish folk with drum-led rock.

The Cactus Blossoms // February 18 & 23 // Mercury Lounge // Tickets

A couple of brothers from Minneapolis pull out the romantic drawls of mid-20th century country songs and make them their own. (Oh, and their first album was produced by JD McPherson.)

Jason Isbell (with Shovels & Rope) // February 25 & 26 // Beacon Theater // Tickets

A power-packed double bill: Isbell’s fire continues to burn off of the raw songwriting on Something More Than Free, and this evening marks the return of magnetic duo Shovels & Rope promoting their delightfully original Busted Jukebox, Vol. 1.

The Shadowboxers // February 26 & 27 // Bowery Ballroom & Rough Trade // Tickets

This Nashville-based group throws out major soul, vocal chops, and inventive covers with influences ranging from D’Angelo to '70s folk.

LISTEN: Andrea Zonn, ‘Where the Water Meets the Sky’

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It's rare to find a player who can lay claim to being both a champion bluegrass fiddler and an accomplished classical violinist. Enter Andrea Zonn. Sharing stages with musical icons like James Taylor, Lyle Lovett, Trace Adkins, and Vince Gill has given Zonn myriad opportunities to showcase both sides of her abilities.

Occasionally, she also puts out a record of her own, as with the upcoming Rise. The album features those fellas and quite a few more, including Keb' Mo', Jerry Douglas, John Cowan, and Mac McAnally. While Zonn is surely the heart of Rise, bassist Willie Weeks and drummer Steve Gadd provide the backbone. Nowhere on the set is the love and camaraderie more evident than on “Where the Water Meets the Sky” which features Sam Bush.

"When I was preparing to record, Thomm Jutz and I set up a week’s worth of writing dates to see what we could come up with,” Zonn says. “Kim Richey came in on the first day, and we wrote this song. We spent the morning giggling and tossing ideas back and forth. Pretty soon, we were talking about loving someone in that unconditional way — the kind of love that can improve not only troubled times, but even makes the best days better, and the kind of love that transcends time and space.”

She continues, “When it came to the recording, it was great fun creating sort of an updated 'Shag' groove with Steve Gadd and Willie Weeks. Jim Oblon’s electric guitar parts are magical, and I simply had to have Sam Bush not only singing, but playing slide on his fantasticly unique National mandolin."

Rise drops on September 25 via Compass Records. And BGS Presents Andrea Zonn at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on December 4.

Photo credit: Anthony Scarlati

THE BIG BONNAROO LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

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Two months ago, we told you the big news:  WE’RE HEADED TO BONNAROO.

But DUH you already knew that.  Now it’s time for the announcement we’re REALLY excited about:  who’s playing the Sitch stage!  For an announcement this big, we have none other than our own ED HELMS to give you the scoop on what’s coming your way June 15 and 16 (black tie optional)

 

 

There are plenty of other Bonnaroo-related surprises in store for both those attending and folks who can’t make it to Manchester this year.  But one thing is for sure….

…it’s going to be quite the Situation.

RECAP: Telluride Bluegrass Festival

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For as long as I’ve been involved in the bluegrass world, people have been telling me of the transformative powers of Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Every time festivals would get discussed, one of the first questions inevitably was ‘well have you been to Telluride?’ to which I would mumble some lame excuse about not having the time or money or anything else that would come to mind.

But this year, with the launch of the new site (and a complete lack of excuses), I booked my ticket and headed east.

I arrived in the valley early Thursday evening, the peaks of the Rockies surrounding me, after a gorgeous two and a half hour drive from Durango.  After settling in to the house, my group and I walked over to catch the last of John Prine on stage.  The sun was setting, casting an amazing, warm light on everything around us, and I knew I was already in love with this place.

We all headed over to my first Nightgrass show at the auditorium of the local high school, where one of my current favorites, Joy Kills Sorrow, took to the stage prior to Laura Marling (who, despite being a phenomenal singer and songwriter, was a bit too mellow for a set that started at 12am).

Friday, I awoke to the sounds of Edgar Meyer and Mike Marshall on the main stage (the entire festival is conveniently simulcast on local radio station KOTO) and spent the morning wandering the main street in town, eventually settling at Elks Park stage to see Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and Luke Bulla perform a tribute to the late Doc Watson. The woman introducing the set summed it up best: ‘We’re proposing a toast to our good fortune: to being human, healthy, and happy, right here.’  Right here.  For these few days.  Everyone together, collectively sharing in such amazing music.  Telluride’s mysterious and magical spell was beginning to weave itself around me.

After watching Doc’s tribute, we headed to the main stage to catch Del McCoury.  If you haven’t seen Del live, YOU NEED TO DO IT.  The man is a legend, and a showman to the greatest degree.  Just… ugh, seriously promise me you’ll see him.  It’s unlike anything else.

John Fogerty wrapped up the night.  Do you realize how many Fogerty songs you know??  Probably not, because the man played for over two hours and we all knew EVERY WORD.  Apparently it’s just something that’s built in to the American subconscious: they lyrics of John Fogerty.

Despite a laaaaate evening the night before (the jams around town tend to last til the wee hours), I was up on Saturday for an early morning gondola ride up the mountain, but not before catching the last few songs in Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer‘s workshop ‘How to Play Badly Without Anyone Noticing’ (with special appearance by Chris Thile), which is one hell of a way to kick off any day.

Spent the majority of my day at Elks Park stage, with new favorites Della Mae showing off their impressive and catchy musical prowess (seriously, go listen to these ferociously talented ladies right now…), followed by a Woody Guthrie tribute show featuring Tim O’Brien (Hot Rize), Emma Beaton (Joy Kills Sorrow), Peter Rowan (Peter Rowan Band), Kristin Andreassen (Uncle Earl) and Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon).  The Guthrie show was really something…. as the voice of the audience swelled during a rousing rendition of ‘I Ain’t Got No Home,’ it was pretty clear just how relevant Woody’s lyrics remain.

Later that night we all headed over to see Bruce Hornsby (where Bela Fleck and Chris Thile made guest appearances!), and the 1987 version of me was secretly [not-so-secretly] thrilled with the swell of the opening chords to ‘Mandolin Rain’ (admit it you totally love that song too…).

Sunday was a day to end all days.  From Peter Rowan to Brett Dennan to the Punch Brothers (in one of their best performances I have ever seen, only to be surpassed later that evening when they played Nightgrass), to Glen Hansard (of The Swell Season), and eventually the Telluride House Band with Bela, Sam, Stuart, Edgar, Bryan and Luke, it was a pretty remarkable meeting of the minds on one stage.

Sunday night wrapped with a post-show Nightgrass performance with the Punch Brothers (they played til almost 2am), followed by a late night on the porch, waiting for the sun to rise, incredibly resistant to the inevitable return to reality we all faced the next day.

People aren’t kidding when they say that Telluride is transformative.  It was unlike any festival event I’d attended prior (so clean!  so nice!  so organized!) and left me feeling more inspired than I’d been in a long time.  You’ll just have to check it out for yourself next year [no excuses].