BGS has partnered with American-made microphone company Ear Trumpet Labs (ETL) for the Portland Series which features ETL’s handcrafted microphones alongside some of Americana’s most acclaimed artists. ETL’s microphones are the brainchild of Philip Graham, who strived to create a unique product that was both visually and aurally stunning, delivering studio quality sound in a live setting, which is exemplified in the video series.
Billy Strings and Don Julin — with a little help from Kevin Gills — kick off the Portland Series with a rousing rendition of “Meet Me at the Creek.” Between his formidable vocal turns, Strings swaps fiery licks with Julin before the two take things down a notch and really show off their chops in an extended musical interlude that rounds out the six-and-a-half-minute performance.
Be sure to catch all of the Portland Series videos and vote on your favorite for a chance to win an ETL microphone.
Filmed in Portland, Oregon, in association with EAR TRUMPET LABS
For her Sitch Session, Aoife O’Donovan takes to a rooftop in Los Angeles to lay out a lilting version of “Magic Hour,” the title track from her new record, backed by a chorus of succulents and cacti. This sparse acoustic rendering stands in contrast to the snappy album version, putting a different spin on it all. “In the magic hour, when the moon is low and the sky’s the kind of blue that you think you know, but you don’t know,” O’Donovan sings under a sunny sky that is the kind of blue we all want to know.
Editor’s Note: Aoife O’Donovan is returning to LA and will be live at the Troubadour on April 14, 2022. Grab your tickets here.
Directed and edited by Richard Downie
Known for having previously toured on a bicycle, singer/songwriter/cellist Ben Sollee hopped on a stationary Schwinn to spin his way through a Sitch Session performance of "Pretend." He's a singular artist, with a singular take on things. "I ain’t no shirtless tease. I ain’t no well-lit movie screen," Sollee sings as he pedals, bows, and grins. "But I’ll be there when things get rough and I’ll hold your hand when you cry."
On a recent afternoon, Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith of Dawes sat on a rooftop in Los Angeles to perform the title track to their latest album, "All Your Favorite Bands." The sun beamed down in all the right places and the notes drifted off in all the right ways to create one of the most glistening Sitch Sessions yet.
"I hope that life without a chaperone is what you thought it’d be. I hope your brother’s El Camino runs forever. I hope the world sees the same person that you always were to me," they sing in sweet, sweet harmony before offering up one of the best well wishes imaginable. "And may all your favorite bands stay together."
See Dawes LIVE at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in L.A. presented by BGS on January 23, 2016. Tickets are still available.
Filmed and edited by Richard Downie.
In the last of our Sitch Sessions shot during AmericanaFest, Ryan Culwell brings Natalie Schlabs along to the Station Inn. Together, they work through "I Will Come for You," one of the many riveting tunes on Culwell's Flatlands LP. "You'll be standing with a cigarette hanging out of your mouth," Culwell sings to paint the picture, "cussing 'bout the government, bumming me another one, and hoping that we don't run out. I'll say, 'Maybe play the blues.' Hell, what else could I do?" For this acoustic performance, he slows the tempo which darkens the hues, making even more poignant this snapshot of real life love.
Directed and shot by Ryan Silver. Edited by Richard Downie. Presented by Bedell Guitars.
Though she hails from Vermont and lives in Tennessee, singer/songwriter Caitlin Canty seems to know a thing or two about Big Sky Country, and she pours it all out in this captivating rendition of “Wyoming Wind,” which was written by Mark Erelli. Accompanied by Eric Heywood on pedal steel, Canty fills an empty Station Inn with the kind of heavy-hearted lonesome that can only come from time spent in wide-open spaces.
Canty is just wrapping up a tour with Jeffrey Foucault hitting New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and western Mass this week. She will be back on the road in March with Darlingside.
Directed and shot by Ryan Silver. Edited by Richard Downie. Presented by Bedell Guitars.
During AmericanaFest earlier this Fall, Anderson East graciously stopped by Nashville's famed Station Inn to give us a private performance of "What a Woman Wants to Hear," one of the stand-out tracks from his excellent 2015 release, Delilah. For this Sitch Session, East opted for a solo acoustic performance, letting his velvety vocals and the tune's heartfelt lyrics speak for themselves over a backdrop of gentle strumming.
Anderson East 2016 "Devil in Me Tour" Dates
January 28—Louisville, KY—Headliners Music Hall*
January 29—Birmingham, AL—WorkPlay Theatre*
January 30—Atlanta, GA—Terminal West at King Plow Arts Center*
February 4—Richmond, VA—The Broadberry*
February 5—Baltimore, MD—Sound Stage Baltimore*
February 6—Charlottesville, VA—The Southern*
February 9—Vienna, VA—Jammin’ Java*
February 11—Philadelphia, PA—World Cafe Live*
February 12—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom*
February 13—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall*
February 14—Northampton, MA—Pearl Street*
February 16—Pittsburgh, PA—The Club at Stage AE*
February 18—Cincinnati, OH—20th Century Theater*
February 19—Indianapolis, IN—The Hi-Fi*
February 20—Milwaukee, WI—Shank Hall*
February 21—Evanston, IL—SPACE*
February 23—Minneapolis, MN—Varsity Theater*
February 24—Des Moines, IA—Vaudeville Mews*
February 25—Kansas City, MO—The Riot Room*
February 27—Denver, CO—Larimer Lounge†
February 29—Salt Lake City, UT—The State Room†
March 3—Spokane, WA—The Bartlett†
March 4—Seattle, WA—Tractor Tavern†
March 5—Vancouver, BC—The Cobalt†
March 6—Portland, OR—Mississippi Studios†
March 8—Sacramento, CA—Harlow’s†
March 10—Mill Valley, CA—Sweetwater Music Hall†
March 11—San Francisco, CA—The Independent†
March 12—West Hollywood, CA—The Troubadour†
March 13—Solana Beach, CA—Belly Up Tavern†
*with special guest Andrew Combs
†with special guest Dylan Leblanc
Directed and shot by Ryan Silver. Edited by Richard Downie. Presented by Bedell Guitars.
When you come from Monkey's Eyebrow, KY, you surely must have some stories to tell. And what better way to do that than through songs. Such is the case for Kelsey Waldon, a country upstart who made her way from Monkey's Eyebrow to Music City to pursue her musical dreams.
Steeped in the country music of days past, from Loretta Lynn to Guy Clark, Waldon released her debut album, The Goldmine, last year. Rolling Stone says of the set, "Waldon makes music like someone raised on both 'White Lightnin'' and Wilco, tackling troubled pasts, cheatin' hearts, and what happens when we don't all worship the same American dreams."
For her Sitch Session, Waldon offered up "Dont Hurt the Ones Who Have Loved You the Most," a thoughtful reminder to remember what's real and true in the world.
Sitch Session shot and edited by Mason Jar Music.
During AmericanaFest 2015, Lera Lynn stopped by an empty Station Inn for her Sitch Session with guitarist/producer Joshua Grange in tow. The pair offered up a captivating take on "Standing on the Moon," off Lynn's 2014 album, The Avenues. "One hand holds the pulse, the other a steerin’ wheel. On one hand it is his curse, on the other it’s what is real," she sings to a room filled with only the memories of so much music that has happened within its walls.
Lera Lynn Fall 2015 Tour Dates
Nov. 10 – Boston, MA – Great Scott
Nov. 11 – New York, NY – Joe's Pub at The Public Theater
Nov. 12 – New York, NY – Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater
Nov. 13 – Ithaca, NY – The Dock
Nov. 14 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe
Nov. 16 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
Nov. 17 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
Nov. 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
Nov. 20 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
Nov. 21 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
Nov. 22 – Goshen, IN – Ignition Music Garage
Dec. 10 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
Dec. 11 – Charleston, SC – The Pour House
Dec. 12 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre
Directed and shot by Ryan Silver. Edited by Richard Downie. Presented by Bedell Guitars.
We ventured into the woods just outside Telluride, CO, to capture a beautifully intimate performance from Kristin Andreassen, Aoife O’Donovan, & Sarah Jarosz.
Andreassen (Uncle Earl) brought us a song from her 2015 solo release, Gondolier. O’Donovan and Jarosz you may recognize from Grammy-winning I’m With Her, their trio with Sara Watkins which was spawned at Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 2014. Though both have quite the solo resumes, it’s hard to ignore how great they sound together. Add in Andreassen, and the result is serene and sublime.
