Honest Folk, a little over a year in existence, promotes occasional pop-up folksy shows in the Rochester area. For their latest booking, they brought Montreal’s Leif Vollebekk to the Historic German House. Rather than plop Vollebekk and band, drummer Evan Tighe and bassist Michael Felder, up on the venue’s tall stage, they set up on a short riser in front for a more appropriately intimate appearance. ‘Honest’ wasn’t just in the name, it was the driving force behind the evening. Honest to the earth: it was announced it was a zero waste event, with everything either being recycled or composted. Honest to the community: proceeds from the event would be donated to the Center for Youth, a local non-profit working with homeless children.
And honest to the ears and soul: Vollebekk’s music, both reflective and relatable, was conceived, delivered and received without any air of contrivance. Opening with a short meditation mixing some ethereal Moog swirls with Wurlitzer grooving, he eased into “Into the Ether,” off his 2017 release Twin Solitude, which he played heavily from throughout the two-set show.
Vollebekk played like a man possessed, it seemed it was two people playing the part. The singer delivered every lyric like he was just realizing the weight of the words for the first time right then and there. His face stretched, contorted and squeezed into inhuman shapes as he sang, whether words or just utterances. His hands worked almost independently, banging out complementary sounds on the electric pianos or picking along on one of his three guitars. At times the playing and the singing happened in succession, as though one was answering the other.
Vollebekk was more emotive seated at the keys, but his guitar work was equally impressive. Both sets closed with him strapping on the electric, in the first on “Telluride” and the second with “East of Eden.” Both songs slowly built to a relatively energetic finish, with a fantastic flurry of finger-picking elegance.
The two sets were a rarity for this band. As Vollebekk explained it, LP’s have two sides, but he was from the CD generation. It felt like the audience got two separate show closers out of the deal. So it was only appropriate that we would get two encores. Vollebekk said they couldn’t decide between two covers, so they would play both. The evening would end with their takes from two folk legends. A full band reading of Bob Dylan’s “Jokerman” followed by a solo guitar interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.” Honest through and through.
Setlist:
Into the Ether, Vancouver Time, ?, Michigan, Elegy > Off the Main Drag, Photographer Friend, Telluride
From the Forth, Cairo Blues, ?, All Night Sedans, ? > Elegy, East of Eden
The legendary Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals will host a formal non-profits village for the first time since their foundings in the 1950s. Non-profit organizations from Rhode Island and the surrounding states will be part of the “Participation Row” social action village at both festivals.
The Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival will make it easier for attendees to make a positive impact on the community through Participation Row. Organized by Headcount, Participation Row will feature several non-profit organizations focused on environmental protection, health and civic participation. Each organization will feature a specific action attendees can take to better the world around them and help the festivals make a positive impact on the community. Headcount is currently accepting applications for Participation Row.
In addition to Participation Row, Headcount, who has had a presence at Newport Folk Festival for nearly a decade, will host a silent auction to benefit the participating organizations.
The Newport Folk Festival takes place July 28 to 30 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. Performers include the Fleet Foxes, Wilco, John Prine, Regina Spektor, American Acoustic (Punch Brothers, I’m With Her and Julian Lage), the Drive-By Truckers and Alone & Together (Kevin Morby, Sam Cohen, Eric D. Johnson of the Fruit Bats, Joe Russo and Josh Kaufman). Tickets for the festival are sold out, but the organizers setup an official fan ticket exchange.
The Newport Jazz Festival takes place Aug. 4 to 6 also at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. The festival features headliners Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Snarky Puppy and The Roots. Other performers include Maceo Parker, the Branford Marsalis Quartet, Rhiannon Giddens, Hudson (Jack DeJohnette, Larry Grenadier, John Medeski and John Scofield), Philadelphia Experiment (Questlove, Christian McBride and Uri Caine), John Medeski on solo piano and D.J. Logic’s Project Logic. Tickets are available now for $170 for a three-day pass or $145 for a two-day Saturday and Sunday pass. Single-day tickets are also available for $65 for Friday and $79 for Saturday or Sunday. The Newport Jazz Festival offers a special student ticket for $20 each day for students ages 16 and older with a valid student ID.
Music Festival season gets underway across the country in May, and Summer Camp Music Festival has made a mark for being a destination event in the Midwest. Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Trey Anastasio Band, Pretty Lights Live and dozens more can be seen this weekend, May 25-28 at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. New York State artists Aqueous, Break Science, Eric Krasno Band, Escort, Turkuaz, Intrepid Travelers, Wild Adriatic, and of course moe., will perform at the four-day festival, now in its 17th year.
Summer Camp has a lot going on, making it tough to see it all, but far from overwhelming like mega-concerts and nowhere near the dumpster fire that is/was Fyre Festival. Check out the full schedule here, or create your own on the Summer Camp app (highly recommended).
Listen to your Counselors!
You should listen to your counselors. Seriously, these are the pros who know Summer Camp inside and out. They’re the best resource for Scampers of all ages and experience levels. Read the handbook, which covers virtually every detail and question about the festival, and if you still have questions, join the Facebook group where you can find answers to virtually any question that may arise over the weekend.
When it comes to camping, unless you’re in an RV, NYS Music recommends the field between Sunshine and Camping (Area D in the map above). Why? Because you are proximate to five stages—Sunshine, Starshine, Vibe Tent, Camping and Soulshine Tent (very underrated, even late at night)—and although there is no shade, you’ll love being able to catch a set of music while chilling between sets of music. The Woods are a solid option as well if you have a smaller set up, but fear not—the sprawling area in the woods is one of the coolest areas to walk through at any festival, night or day.
And while you are at Summer Camp, Make a Difference! there are so many ways to leave Three Sisters Park better than how you found it; clean up trash, cigarette butts, bring a reusable water bottle, recycle your waste and check out the Soulshine Tent to find ways to bring some of that positive energy from Summer Camp back home with you.
Then, of course, what do you do when you want to relive a little bit of Summer Camp from your youth? You participate in Field Day! Yes, Field Day is an annual tradition at Summer Camp, one that has a rightful place in the history of the festival. Started in 2011, the annual event takes the cake as the most unique and most fun non-musical component of Summer Camp. Sign up online, and the first 100 get a free team bandana on Friday from noon–1 p.m. at the Vibe Tent. Come back Saturday at 3 p.m. and participate in capture the flag, arm wrestling, spelling bee, banana eating contest and much more, with a Champions ceremony at noon Sunday. Field Day is open to all, the smack talk is free and it has become a growing event everyone should check out, whether as spectator or participant.
The Field Day staff shared a little insight into why you should take part in Field Day:
The number-one reason why people should sign up is because of the amount of awesome people you’ll meet doing so, especially myself Ashley Pardy. What keeps me coming back is all of the memories, and the Red Team wins. I mean would you leave a team that has won almost every year?” – Ashley Pardy
“You will meet amazing people, laugh your ass off and drink free beer. Participating in one of the many cool activities at Summer Camp will make your festival experience unique beyond just seeing shows.”
– Jessica Coughlin
“Bragging rights.” – Elizabeth Cox
What memories of past years keep these wonderful staff keep coming back, year after year?
I come back year after year because the people are so amazing. Favorite memory is Sheppy nearly getting arrested by some serious looking state troopers for defacing an American flag, while simultaneously being hoisted on our shoulders raising the red flag after yet another contested victory.” – Anthony Piccirilli (Shep talked his way out of it and the cop came to our keg party.)
“Mud Tug-o-War, Drunken Spelling Bees, Sheppy drunken walks with the cup.” – Elizabeth Cox
“Drunken Spelling Bees.” – Anthony Piccirilli
And while sunrise kickball isn’t an official activity, it has been the unofficial opening ceremony of the games for six years now. This is one of the highlights of Summer Camp; at 5:30 a.m. come to the Sunshine Stage for a game of kickball with faithful fans led by Ryan Stasik. There will be trampolines, bacon at second base and no apparent rules; it is the most beautiful and absurd shit-show ever witnessed, and one worth staying up for!
There you have it; NYS Music gives you the ins and outs of Summer Camp 2017. Make sure to follow us all weekend on Twitter and Instagram to live vicariously if you can’t make the trip to the Midwest.
What can you do with $50 in Scranton, PA this weekend? How about two days of incredible bluegrass, folk, and funk? The 5th Annual Susquehanna Breakdown begins Friday, May 19 with local act, The Dishonest Fiddlers taking the stage at 6:30pm followed by most Deadhead’s favorite one-man band, Keller Williams, at 8pm. Members of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s own Cabinetwill be joining Williams on stage for the 9:30pm “Keller & Cabinet” set which is sure to be full of surprises. Cabinet will then take over the stage at 10:45 for the first of three weekend sets.
When Susquehanna Breakdown was founded in 2013 by Cabinet and Live Nation Entertainment, their aim was to shine a light on the regional artists, farmers and craft vendors of Scranton, PA. Over the years the festival has added bigger names and larger crowds to their Montage Mountain home, yet the tight-knit friendly vibe, cheap ticket price, and local sponsorship has remained. While Cabinet continues to be at the nucleus of the event, bluegrass juggernauts, Greensky Bluegrass, have taken over 2017’s headlining slot at 9pm on Saturday night. Other sets to check out on Saturday include Binghamton, New York’s Driftwood at 12:30pm, a daytime acoustic set from Cabinet at 2:15pm, the soulful folkie Wood Brothers at 4pm and Billy Strings tearing things up at 8pm!
The full schedule is posted and as in years past, the festival organizers have set the separate stage times so that attendees are able to catch a glimpse of every band with little to no overlap. And did we mention the late night acts? The funky West Coast trio, Organ Freeman, will be taking over the party on Friday night and the traveling powerhouse, Turkuaz, will be sending Breakdowners home after one more Saturday night set. Sandwiched in between all this funkiness is Tom Hamilton’s Breakdown All Stars at 11pm on the second day which will be full of festival-wide collaborations.
The Northeastern festival season is now upon us and this showcase might be the best bang for your buck you will find this year. Whether you plan to attend on Saturday only or camp for both nights on the pavilion lawn, there is plenty to do and hear at this year’s Breakdown. An eclectic collection of acts from around the country sharing the space with local bands and vendors makes this the perfect practice run for the rest of the summer’s events. The Susquehanna Breakdown shares the same space as Montage Mountain’s larger summer extravaganza, The Peach Festival, but at a fraction of the cost. While Scranton locals may consider Peach to be the big brother of the mountain’s two jam-heavy festivals, the Breakdown just hit another growth spurt and is ready to rival its older sibling in 2017.
NYS Music had the chance to sit down with The Dishonest Fiddlers founder, Dave Brown to discover what makes “The Electric City” the perfect place for a breakdown…
Ben Boivin: What is the concept behind The Dishonest Fiddlers and where did you first come up with this unique idea to play with different artists at every show?
Dave Brown: Well, I played solo prior to forming the band and I still enjoy the solo sets very much but the band has given my music a chance to take a different shape and myself a chance to play with and learn from a lot of different musicians along the way.
BB: What is your connection with Cabinet, the band that founded the Breakdown?
DB: Well my introduction to Cabinet came maybe 4 or 5 years ago in Scranton. I ordered lunch from Pizza by Pappa’s, and JP [Biondo] delivered it. I was not expecting him, nor was I expecting the pizza to have several bites out of it either. JP agreed to let me take a few bites of the next pizza he had to deliver, and after playing a few tunes I agreed we were square. Since then I started picking up my orders from Pappa’s and listening to Cabinet. Lately I’ve been fortunate enough to have Todd Kopec, from Cabinet, playing fiddle with us and he’ll be on stage with me at the Breakdown too.
BB: I know that you are on the road all summer and visiting many different festivals. What do you feel is so special about the Susquehanna Breakdown?
DB: The Breakdown has really evolved into something a lot of people really look forward too. I’ve met people from all over the country at the Susquehanna Breakdown over the years. I was a spectator at the first one and its definitely special to have the opportunity to be playing this year. It’s also nice that our family and friends have a chance to be there and share the day with us
BB: What is the band you are most looking forward to seeing at this festival?
DB: I recently had a show with Driftwood and I got a copy of their new album so I’m looking forward to hearing some of those tunes again. I’m also interested in hearing Billy Strings for the first time.
BB: What would you like to see for The Dishonest Fiddlers?
DB: Well tours and new albums all sound great but mainly I want to keep having fun and keep writing music. If I can manage to keep enough air in my tires and the lights on at home, the rest will fall in place.
Montreal multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Leif Vollebekk is bringing his deep and moving lyricism to Rochester for what will be a special show at the Historic German House. He is touring behind his critically-acclaimed third album, Twin Solitude, released earlier this year. The three years between records saw him in a creative rut, brought on by extended periods on the road. But he was able to find inspiration in everyday beauty, the seemingly mundane. It has garnered plenty of praise, from NPR Music admiring it as “devastatingly beautiful,” Brooklyn Vegan calling it “lovely, soulful and spare,” while The Fader praised Vollebekk’s “passionate Broken Social Scene-adjacent melodies wrapped in a casual, jammy atmosphere.”
Local pop-up show promoter Honest Folk, a year into their enterprise, are bringing Vollebekk for their first show at the German House in Rochester’s South Wedge this Thursday, May 18. The show will begin around 7pm. Tickets are $30 and are available at their website. A portion of the proceeds from the show will benefit the Center for Youth, a local organization that provides comprehensive programs and services—from prevention education and counseling to emergency shelter and youth development opportunities.
Underwater Panther Coalition, an emerging record label with a mission to take care of our Earth, recently released Matthew O’Neill’s LP Trophic Cascade on May 5. This debut LP features O’Neill’s single “Louisiana” released in March earlier this year in support of Earth Guardians.
Currently living in Upstate New York, O’Neill was raised in Pennsylvania and spent much of his time immersed in the Eastern Woodlands. O’Neill’s musical inspiration and style is drawn directly from his relationship between modern life and his exposure to the indigenous lifestyle. Half of all profits from the record sales are to be donated to frontline earth protection groups and more specifically to conserving indigenous rights.
O’Neill’s perspective of the world is drawn from varied experiences that can be heard throughout his LP as he channels these contrasting lifestyles into music. Trophic Cascade is composed of fourteen tracks that experiment with sounds from a broad range of music genres. Styles such as psychedelia are prevalent during “1000 years” and the mountain styled music peaks through on songs like “Golden Boy” and “Relaunching.”
Other songs on Trophic Cascade include elements of Americana, rock, folk and soul. “There You Go Again” features a horn section while “Break Stride” embodies a toe-tapping and fun upbeat rhythm. Each of these fourteen tracks embodies another emotional message and strives to build the bridge between activism and action.
Whether or not you are an avid tree hugger is not integral to be a fan of O’Neill’s music. The sincerity within his music shines through as it goes hand-in-hand with his message of appreciating and protecting our world’s natural beauty.
Saranac Brewery in Utica announced the 2017 lineup for its annual summer music series, Saranac Thursdays, on Tuesday. The kick-off event takes place May 18 with a 25th anniversary show from local show band Classified. The 19th year of the series continues throughout the summer, with hard rock act the Bomb closing it out Aug. 31.
The series features local and regional acts from 6-9 p.m. each Thursday. Cover charge for each 21 and over show is $5, which includes your first drink. A portion of the proceeds from the series is donated to the local United Way. The events raised $41,000 for the organization last year.
2017 Saranac Thursday Series
May 18 – Classified (25th anniversary show)
May 25 – Soundbarrier
June 1 – Showtime
June 8 – The Crazy Fools
June 15 – Ladies Drink Free
June 22 – Last Left
June 29 – Gridley Paige and 3 Inch Fury Present: ROCK OF AGES
July 6 – Sir Cadian Rhythm
July 13 – Barroom Philosophers
July 20 – Annie in the Water
July 27 – Enter the Haggis
Aug. 3 – The Matt Lomeo Band
Aug. 10 – The Old Main
Aug. 17 – Lonesome Dove
Aug. 24 – Chris Eves and the New Normal
Aug. 31 – The Bomb
See Enter the Haggis’ official video for “One Last Drink” shot partially at last summer’s Saranac Thursday performance below.
“Do you remember who you were before they told you who to be?” Morgan Bolender asks the world during her demo track “Mary Oliver.” She is a self-taught musician from the Empire State that has traveled the globe and currently calls Oakland, CA home.
During her travels, she found her sacred path as an artist and after hundreds of thousands of Youtube views, she realized that her compassionate lyrics and beautiful voice was echoing throughout the world. Her debut album, Recordings From My Living Room, has gained popularity among her open minded and globally conscious followers and while the music may be too emotional for some, others find refuge in its soulful tranquility.
Self-proclaimed “freak folk” artist Scott Ferreter calls his music “Deep Pools.” Ferreter spends his time in the spotlight attempting to engage the members of the audience mentally and emotionally. He uses his music to tell stories of his life and experiences. Musical influences such as Radiohead, Neil Young, and The Band can be heard in his stirring tales of death, birth, peace and seasons. After decades of practice, Ferreter has formed a bond with his guitar, allowing him the confidence and comfort to explore many different sounds and genres. His most recent LP, See You In The Morning Light, has been described as “an ecosystem of emotion” by Sacramento News and Review. It was no coincidence that Bolender and Ferreter found each other and formed a musical communion that has been strengthened through love, respect and admiration for one another.
After their first sonic pilgrimage through the country called the Come As You Are Tour, Bolender posted on her Instagram, “Tour’s over. 10,512 miles. 34 cities. 70 days. I have so many feelings.” These feelings were planted inside of Ferreter and Bolender in the beginning of the Fall of 2016, and much like a tulip bulb, they are finally ready to bloom this Spring. They will embark on yet another house concert tour entitled The Feelings Parade. After the spiritual, emotional, creative and musical success of their 2016 travels, they have decided to do it all over again on an even bigger and more ambitious trail. Their live shows feature the two playing together as well as solo before an audience of all different backgrounds and interests. In reference to last year’s adventure, Ferreter writes, “We played over 35 shows, saw parts of the country we had never seen, and made deep-feeling community in places where we used to be strangers. We miss you already.”
The truly dynamic duo is currently calling on their friends new and old to host house concerts for their upcoming gigs. No town is too big or small. No mansion is too sparkly and no barn is too dirty. No swamp lands are too filled with alligators and no desert is to dry. Based on their Instagram feed from last year, they are willing to do basically all the work except building the venue itself. If you or someone you know is interested in helping with the tour efforts, send an email to the performers and express interest. I caught up with Bolender and Ferreter after their last tour to hear more about what they learned, what they liked, and what the future holds for them.
Ben Boivin: What covers did you play most frequently?
Morgan Bolender: “Hallelujah” by MaMuse, and “Old Before Your Time” by Ray LaMontagne. When playing MaMuse’s “Hallelujah,” I invited the crowd to sing along, which was almost always an overwhelmingly beautiful experience. There’s nothing quite like singing my heart out with a room full of people. My favorite times were when the crowd started out singing with quiet trepidation and finished with wholehearted gusto. Due to my own trepidation, I didn’t sing at all (not even in the shower!) until about 5 years ago, so it’s one of my missions to create a safe place for people to open up the channel that has enriched my life so much.
Scott Ferreter: I hardly played any covers this tour, because I have so many new songs I’m excited about. It was hard enough to decide which originals to play. One cover-playing memory that really sticks out is playing “Traveling Song” by Bright Eyes in Omaha, Nebraska, because that’s where Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) is from. He’s one of my favorite songwriters, and it was quite the experience playing it on my first visit to his hometown and having several people in the crowd passionately singing along.
BB: Did you switch up the sets or add more to a set based on where you were and the experiences you had during your travels before the shows?
MB: Our sets varied from let-it-all-hang out, no-holds-barred-wild-fun, to playing for a garage full of conservative Christian corn and soy farming seniors on a farm in South Dakota who all brought their own lawn chairs. Part of the beauty of the intimate house concert setting is having the opportunity to really feel and connect with the audience – to experience them as a living body and try to tap into what would be most nourishing for that body.
SF: The set changed almost every night, based on the feeling of the place and the feeling of the crowd. Also, a lot of my songs are very vulnerable and they often push at different social norms that I find myself bumping up against in my struggle to be my full self. For that reason, some of them were entirely inappropriate for certain shows and certain crowds. I have no interest in shoving anything in anyone’s face–my intention is to stretch boundaries, not break trust. For that reason, I found myself changing the set quite a bit.
BB: What was your worst show of the tour?
MB: New Orleans. For sure.
SF: Absolutely, New Orleans. Heiress to a fortune. Old school classism and elitism. Small turnout plus pretension equals a terrible show. I’m amazed that we played over 35 shows and only had one that I wouldn’t want to do again!
BB: What was one of the best shows of the tour?
MB: That’s a really tough one, as I’m still processing the experience. My heart feels warm when I think about Kim’s living room in Blue Springs, Missouri, who Jodi filled with a lively, funny, loving crowd. Then I think of Jen’s show in West Bend, Wisconsin, which happened on gorgeous, magical land where, if there are fairies, fairies lived. That show was so sweet and tender, the people so open and ready to receive what we came to share. And the, Paonia! In a castle, and then a community house! And San Diego! Then the Dakota’s – a beautiful yard along the Missouri River, a sweet farm with Alice’s epic flower garden! Nicole’s overflowing yard in Nunica, Michigan! Playing for family and friends in NY, many of who’d never seen me play. Flagstaff, AZ, where they created an ornate backyard festival for us! There was a tea tent! I didn’t answer this question very well, but truly – there were so many magical shows. Oh! The squawking baby eagles that accompanied our show on Whidbey Island! The Heartson’s in Vermont, where we not only got to play a great show, but got to teach a songwriting workshop! Like I said – magic, magic, magic.
SF: There were so many great ones, and they were all great for different reasons. I had a particularly connected-feeling set in Paonia, Colorado. It was one of the few places where I felt no need to bring people into the right headspace for the music. It felt like we were all there together from the beginning, and it was so sweet to be able to just drop into the music and feelings. Wisconsin was a very meaningful set for me because I showed up incredibly sad, and decided to be vulnerable and play the set I needed (instead of the set I imagined the crowd wanting). As it turned out, sadness must’ve been in the air, because it seemed like the perfect set for the people there, too. I left that show feeling very held.
BB: If you had to spend two weeks at one venue you played, where would it be?
MB: Hmmm. Possibly New Orleans. That place feels like an entirely different universe, and I feel like in order to really drop in and explore it, I need some time. Or Portland, because there are so many people there I love and want to hang out and make music with.
SF: Great fucking question! I feel like Ashville, North Carolina and I have some catching up to do. I’d never been before, and yet I’ve had many great friends live there over the years. I felt deeply connected to the land there, and could easily see myself putting in some weeks barefoot in Asheville.
BB: What did you learn during your travels and would you do it all over again?
MB: If you’re going to buy high quality, American made, ethically sourced and produced merchandise, be sure to let people know, because ethical and conscious consumption is really important for our people and planet, and I want more people to consider where their things come from. Also, ethically sourced and produced merchandise is more expensive.
Humans are extremely capable of adapting. For the first 2 weeks of tour, I was a wreck. My body was falling apart, my emotions raw, and my nerves fried. The pace of tour, the emotional expenditure, and the sheer amount of work was breaking me down. Once we got into a rhythm and once I made a strict “I need 8 hours of sleep per night” rule, things changed dramatically. I was amazed and inspired by how much my limits could be extended.
It’s okay to need people. Okay, fine, I’m still learning that one, but tour helped a lot. I was very stubborn about my independence, and was sure to let Scott know, many times, that I could have done this on my own. But the truth is, I couldn’t have. Not this exact tour. I could have done some version, sure, but not what we did. Doing it together made so much more possible. And just because I can do something by myself doesn’t mean that I have to. I learned so much about how to trust and work as a team.
I can set out to do something huge, and make it happen. Even if I don’t really, really know what I’m doing, I can learn as I go. [There are] so many more things that I don’t know yet. I would absolutely do this again, and intend to. I realized after a few weeks of the Come As You Are Tour that, though we were already reaping harvest, much of our work was seed planting. Meeting new people who became part of our community. Refining our model for producing house concerts. Creating systems. Walking first-time hosts through how to put on a concert. The tour was enough, just as it was, and, it’d be a shame to not put all we learned to use!
SF: I learned that I’m supposed to be touring and sharing my music! I learned that you don’t eat passionfruit by biting it directly in half. I learned that it’s better to play the songs I want than play the songs I think the crowd wants. I learned that just because the east-coasters don’t show their love as freely doesn’t mean they aren’t loving it. I learned that nobody wants to buy totes. I learned that there are fewer medium-sized people listening to our music than there are small and large people listening to our music. I learned that I’ve still got a lot to learn from Morgan. I learned that Morgan has still got a lot to learn from me. I learned that I’m making music on behalf of all of the people who are nourished by it, not just for myself. I would do it again tomorrow!
In a dark world, Bolendar and Ferreter use their music as the guiding light. Their compassion for the human race is powerful and their creative approach to going on tour is refreshing. The Feelings Parade of 2017 is sure to see these couch-surfing companions on an entirely new wave of energy and bliss. Two old souls living their own version of the American Dream with a trunk full of instruments and heads full of sound will hopefully inspire a new generation to get in their cars and cruise the land of the brave and free.
Melding multiple genres, Americana quartet Dangermuffin has put together eight unique tracks for its new album, titled Heritage, which is set to drop on March 31.
Kicking off the album with a Corona-in-the-sand vibe is the wavy and groovy “Ancient Family,” an almost surfer dude type of track, but with a more elegant and highbrow vibe. It’s a solid song to blast on a beach vacation with your friends, or late-night at home when you want to wind down.
“Fidel” continues the seashore and ocean theme, except this time it’s strictly a reggae song with quite the fun nearly sky, rhythmic musical interlude in the middle. “Kindred Sun” starts out sounding like a slowed down version of “Jack Straw” by the Grateful Dead, but quickly morphs into a psychedelic excursion based around the biggest star in our solar system.
“Methuselah” begins with a simple drum beat that slowly builds into a five note rhythm that might play out very well on the live stage. “One Last Swim” combines a country feel with bluegrass twang that simply adds to the eclecticism of Heritage.
“Sea and the Rose” brings back the breezy and free feel of the beginning of the album, enlisting the use of the clavicle in a simple but quite effective way. “Waves” would have closed out the album in the perfect way, adding a little bit of all the themes on the previous six songs. The gentle guitar leads and danceable rhythms make this the feel good song of the record. “Ode to my Heritage” closes out the album in an old timey, campfire circle sort of way.
Dangermuffin hails from Charleston, S.C., and this album reflects the light and airy ways of the south. A little pickin’, a little grinnin’ and a lot of soul and groove have given Dangermuffin an album to be proud of.
Back in 1994, alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo split in two seemingly equal parts. Both made critical hit debut albums, but one, the Jeff Tweedy-led Wilco, rode an ever increasing wave of success. The other, Jay Farrar’s Son Volt, has had a steadier, though less visible, run. Three decades later and both bands are still going strong down their own paths.
In February, Son Volt released their eighth album, and first in four years, titled Notes of Blue. Farrar could release a collection of rap or metal and it would still be recognizable as Son Volt. His voice is that much of a signature. In this case, the band washes his voice in the blues, as the album’s title would suggest.
The music is inspired by the blues stylings and specifically tunings of classic pickers Skip James and Mississippi Fred McDowell, from back when the blues and folk music were one and the same. He also mixes in the more recent sounds of English folky Nick Drake. Inspiration in the right hands doesn’t translate directly to “sounds like” though, and it certainly doesn’t here. Son Volt lends it’s own distinctive hand throughout, crunchy reverb guitar, just enough twang, straight up from-the-earth lyrics. But on Notes of Blue, Son Volt appears with more finger-picking, more slide and perhaps even darker themes.
Though it can get somewhat bogged down in monotonous earth tones at times, natural splashes of color bring the bluesy landscapes to life. The surprising reverb guitar thrashes in “Promise the World,” when Nick Drake’s influence comes to the fore in the lovely ballad “Cairo and Southern,” the pedal-to-the-metal opening of “Static,” the rough and tumble slide blues on “Sinking Down” … yeah, there’s enough color throughout.
At just 30 minutes, Notes of Blue is a quick but dense listen, with a lot of repeated listening value. Of playing the new material live, Farrar says, “It’s going to be an adventure.” He’s excited to take them on the road, but the different tunings will require some extra coordination, “We’re going to have some long talks, with charts about what guitars to use when,” New Yorkers get two chances to catch these original purveyors of alt-country sling their craft, first at Bowery Ballroom on April 7, and then at Rough Trade in Brooklyn on April 8.
Key tracks: Cairo and Southern, The Storm, Sinking Down
The 
When it comes to camping, unless you’re in an RV, NYS Music recommends the field between Sunshine and Camping (Area D in the map above). Why? Because you are proximate to five stages—Sunshine, Starshine, Vibe Tent, Camping and Soulshine Tent (very underrated, even late at night)—and although there is no shade, you’ll love being able to catch a set of music while chilling between sets of music. The Woods are a solid option as well if you have a smaller set up, but fear not—the sprawling area in the woods is one of the coolest areas to walk through at any festival, night or day.
The Field Day staff shared a little insight into why you should take part in Field Day:
Underwater Panther Coalition
Back in 1994, alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo split in two seemingly equal parts. Both made critical hit debut albums, but one, the