Category: Folk/Americana

  • Brian Fallon Releases 37 Date Global Tour – Babeville, Town Hall and Capitol Theatre Among Stops

    Brian Fallon is filled with a lot his plate and he’s ready to share helpings all around North America. A 37 date trek will be spread across the continent for a full-band headline run starting in January 2022.

    That is, Brian Fallon followed by his almighty longtime live band, The Howling Weather, they’ll kick off the tour January 11, 2022 at Portland, ME’s State Theatre and then travels through an eagerly awaited homecoming show set for March 4, 2022 at the famed Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ.

    brian fallon

    Fallon will pick up some special guest along the way you’ll see The Dirty Nil (January 11-February 16), Worriers (January 11-March 4), and Hurry (February 18-March 4). 

    Fallon is sure to include tracks from his recently released holiday album, Night Divine thanks to Lesser Known Records/Thirty Tiger. Produced and recorded by yours truly, Fallon, the album brings new renditions of classic hymns and spirituals. Listen for yourself recently premiered “Virgin Mary Had One Son” and “Amazing Grace,” 

    Fallon keeps ‘Virgin Mary Had One Son’ close to its folk-standard origins, adding some shaken percussion and low, sustained piano notes to compliment his acoustic guitar arpeggions. Fallon sings with a mixture of awe and solemnity that fits a retelling of the Christian savior’s birth

    Rolling Stone

    Fallon ends the year with what he does best, selling out venues. The night holiday residency at Garwood, NJ’s Crossroads is set for December 4, 16, 17, 18, and 23. In addition, next spring will see Fallon and The Howling Weather crossing the Atlantic for a wide-ranging tour of the UK and Europe, including already sold-out shows in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Scotland, and England; support throughout comes from special guests Chris Farren and Jesse Malin. Tickets can be purchased here

    BRIAN FALLON

    2021 US TOUR DATES

    DECEMBER 2021

    4 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)

    16 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)

    17 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)

    18 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)

    23 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads (SOLD OUT)

    BRIAN FALLON AND THE HOWLING WEATHER

    2022 TOUR DATES – NORTH AMERICA/EU/UK

    JANUARY 2022

    11 – Portland, ME – State Theatre *

    12 – Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts *

    14 – Montreal, QC – L’Astral *

    15 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall *

    16 – Buffalo, NY – Babeville/Asbury Hall *

    18 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall *

    19 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues*

    21 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall *

    22 – Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe at Old National Centre *

    23 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall *

    25 – Chicago, IL – Park West *

    26 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater *

    28 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall *

    29 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall *

    31 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre *

    FEBRUARY 2022

    1 – Seattle, WA – Showbox *

    2 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre *

    4 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades *

    5 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore *

    6 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern *

    8 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre *

    9 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom *

    11- Austin, TX – Mohawk *

    12 – Dallas, TX – Kessler Theater *

    13 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater *

    15 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade – Heaven Stage *

    16 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall *

    18 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom #

    19 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre #

    20 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre #

    22 – New York, NY – Town Hall #

    25 – Boston, MA – Royale #

    26 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground#

    27 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer #

    MARCH 2022

    1 – Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre #

    2 – Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre #

    4 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Center For The Arts #

    APRIL 2022

    26 – Frankfurt, DE – Batschkapp **

    27 – Hamburg, DE – Edel-Optics.de Arena **

    28 – Gothenburg, SE – Pustervik **

    29 – Stockholm, SE – Debaser Strand ** (SOLD OUT)

    30 – Copenhagen, DK – Lille Vega ** (SOLD OUT)

    MAY 2022

    2 – Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria ** (SOLD OUT)

    3 – Berlin, DE – Huxleys **

    4 – Vienna, AT – Ottakringer Brauerei **

    5 – Stuttgart, DE – LKA Longhorn **

    6 – Munich, DE – Neue Theaterfabrik **

    7 – Nuremberg, DE – Löwensaal **

    8 – Milan, IT – Circolo Magnolia **

    10 – Zürich, CH – Komplex 457 **

    12 – Barcelona, SP – Sala Apolo – La 2 **

    13 – Madrid, SP – Ochoymedio **

    14 – Cascante, SP – Estaciones Sonoras

    16 – Paris, FR – Backstage **

    17 – Antwerp, BE – Trix Club **

    18 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg **

    20 – Norwich, UK – The Waterfront **

    21 – Manchester, UK – Academy **

    22 – Leeds, UK – O2 Academy **

    24 – Glasgow, NI – SWG3 ** (SOLD OUT)

    25 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy **

    26 – London, UK – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire ** (SOLD OUT)

    27 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute **

    28 – Nottingham, UK – Rock City **

    * with special guests Worriers and The Dirty Nil

    # with special guests Worriers and Hurry

    ** with special guests Chris Farren and Jesse Malin

  • Interview: Arlo Guthrie Carries on Thanksgiving Traditions and Fulfills Family Legacy

    Tucked away in the quaint Massachusetts town of Great Barrington stands an old church. The site would be unremarkable had it not been for the events that unfolded there beginning Thanksgiving 1965. At that time, the church belonged to Alice and Ray Brock, who invited some friends over for the holiday. Amongst the guests was their former student, Arlo Guthrie.

    What started as a benevolent offer to take out the trash led to an incredulous turn of events, which ultimately resulted in Guthrie being deemed ineligible for the Vietnam War draft. Guthrie captured the story in the 20-minute long satirical folk song “Alice’s Restaurant Masacree.” The saga struck a chord with the anti-war counterculture, propelling Guthrie into the spotlight and solidifying his path as a career musician.

    arlo guthrie
    Arlo Guthrie “Back By Popular Demand” Tour –  photo by Mickey Deneher

    Within two years, Guthrie had recorded the song as Side A of his debut album, closed out the Newport Folk Festival, and played Carnegie Hall.

    “My life went from being your average small club circuit performer to someone playing theaters and stadiums almost overnight,” Guthrie told NYS Music. “At least it seemed that way to me, although it probably took a couple of years.”

    The song also inspired a feature-length movie, back in a day when few musicians were afforded such an opportunity. “Alice’s Restaurant” starred Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Officer Obie, and the judge playing themselves, with Alice Brock in a cameo role. Even though the story was partially fictionalized, it was filmed in and around the places where the actual events took place.

    “Arthur Penn (who had just finished filming Bonnie & Clyde) heard the record when it came out in 1967,” recalled Guthrie. “He also happened to live in Stockbridge, where the events took place. He thought it would be a great idea to make it into a movie. And he did.”

    arlo guthrie
    photo by Mickey Deneher

    Fifty years later, the church still stands. Guthrie purchased the property in 1991 and turned it into a community center. There’s been plenty of work to do on the historic building, which has been standing nearly two hundred years.

    “Not only have we been steadily restoring it, but we actually re-consecrated it as a church (ours is an inter-faith church and an educational organization). So we continue to have services as one would expect.”

    In addition to spiritual services, visitors of the The Guthrie Center at Old Trinity Church can also partake in cultural events and contribute to humanitarian efforts.

    About these events, Guthrie said, “Some are seasonal, and others run all year long. Our Troubadour music series runs throughout the summer. There are a number of special yearly events – an annual walk-a-thon that helps people and families dealing with Huntington’s Disease, an annual Thanksgiving Dinner That Can’t Be Beat (we have free lunches once a week all year long, but Thanksgiving is special).”

    arlo guthrie
    photo by Mickey Deneher

    In addition to restoring and contributing to the operations at the church, Guthrie continues to perform. His father, Woody Guthrie, always dreamed of having a family band to take on tour. Arlo Guthrie was able to bring this dream to fruition. His children, Abe and Sarah Lee Guthrie, and several other family members have become professional musicians. The Guthrie family is halfway through their Re: Generation Tour. Guthrie and several members of the family will be sharing the stage at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, November 25 for the annual Thanksgiving concert. This year commemorates fifty years since Guthrie’s Carnegie debut.

    Another holiday tradition is for radio stations across the nation to play “Alice’s Restaurant” on Thanksgiving Day. Although Guthrie has stated in interviews that he doesn’t listen to the song on Thanksgiving, he does gather with friends and family to give thanks.

    “I am especially grateful for the friends I’ve walked this earth with,” said Guthrie. “Many are now gone, and some remain. I’m grateful to have met them all especially my wife, Jackie who left us in 2012. There’s new friends to make and places yet to visit. If I’m around long enough I’ll do that too.”

    The Guthrie Center at The Old Trinity Church in Great Barrington, Massachusetts is open to visitors during special events and Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10am-4pm. Spiritual services are held on Sundays at 11am.

  • Judy Collins Celebrates Winter and Holiday Season With Concert At The Town Hall on December 17

    Judy Collins will celebrate winter and the holiday season with a one-time-only performance at The Town Hall on December 17. This will be Collins’ first official show in New York City since late 2019 and she’ll be joined by Americana group Chatham County Line and special guest Toshi Reagon.

    Collins and Chatham County Line will warmly salute the season with songs from their collaborative album Winter Stories and more. Collins will also debut original songs from a to-be-announced new album to be released in early 2022.  

    judy collins

    Winter Stories was released in November of 2019, a collection of songs that capture the sounds and feeling of the winter season with new originals and classics such as Joni Mitchell’s “The River.” The “not so Christmas-y seasonal album” (Variety) led to a definitive New York Times profile, was deemed “marvelous” by the Boston Globe and spent four weeks as the #1 album on Billboard’s Bluegrass chart.  

    Despite several months of not touring, Collins did perform at The Town Hall in February of this year, in an empty venue due to the pandemic. She livestreamed the concert and released the recording in August as Judy Collins: Live At The Town Hall. She revisited a very similar set list to the concert she played on that same stage in 1964. Her 1964 Town Hall engagement was her first official solo headline concert in New York City, and was also recorded and released as a beloved album in her catalog (The Judy Collins Concert), performing songs that captured the tumult of the era. 

    Collins remains ever-prolific at 82. She has released five albums in the past five years, and in July launched a podcast that only Collins could host called Since You’ve Asked, in which she has refreshingly upfront, honest and revealing conversations with guests ranging from Jeff Daniels and Clive Davis to Christiane Amanpour. New episodes will debut early next year. 

  • Ruby Greenberg Pays Homage To Colorado With “Runaway”

    NYC singer-songwriter Ruby Greenberg has released her new single, “Run Away.” Simple yet charming, the soothing piano ballad is a love letter to her home state of Colorado.

    Ruby Greenberg

    Greenberg wrote “Run Away” during a bout of homesickness. While her time in New York began as an exciting barrage of new people and experiences, she would occasionally long for the familiar faces of the Rocky Mountains.

    I wrote “Run Away” when I was feeling particularly nostalgic. One day I was sitting in a tiny rehearsal room with only an old piano and a small window that faced another wall. I started playing a melody on the piano, thinking of home and the way that the mountains out west created my sense of direction.

    Ruby Greenberg

    “Run Away” never outright disses Greenberg’s new home in the city, but the first verse tackles how jarring its busy atmosphere could be for a new transplant: “Madness is what we live in this city of lies.” The lyrics also comment on the kindness (or lack thereof) of New Yorkers, who “don’t have the time to look each other in the eye.” Greenberg spends the remainder of the song retreating to Colorado in spirit, with a jazzy organ joining the proceedings. 

    The vocals, songwriting and piano are reminiscent of Sara Bareilles, along with Greenberg’s main influences, Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlile. It sounds like a sweater-clad hike on a fall day, which isn’t an accident. Greenberg is a lover of the great outdoors, and passionate about wildlife conservation and environmentalism alike. She’s performed at a benefit concert for parkland preservation efforts at Ivywild School, a community center in Colorado Springs.

    Greenberg has plans to release more singles in the near future, dedicated to her loved ones. “Run Away” is now available on all streaming platforms.

  • Hudson Valley Songwriter Ryan Martin Recruits Mikaela Davis for “At Dusk”

    The latest single from Hudson Valley singer-songwriter Ryan Martin, “At Dusk”, features Rochester’s Mikaela Davis. Perhaps your breakup with your COVID-bae was hard or maybe you’re just not over your breakup from 3 years ago (who isn’t?). Ryan and Mikaela know how to pull at just the right heart strings bringing a signature kind of love song that is honest, emotional lyrics wrapped in gorgeous, bittersweet melodies and irresistible melodic hooks. 

    Ryan Martin

    Now, you might have heard this song before because it originally appeared on Wandercease, released in November 2020. However, in the height of COVID-19 havoc Martin’s exceptional songwriting was praised by the press for its vibrant, modern take on Americana and Martin’s exceptional songwriting, yet buried underneath reality’s chaos. The COVID pandemic taught us all a little something but Martin took it upon himself to re-asses his priorities.

    The songs on Wandercease are mini-epics of personal storytelling, and Mikaela Davis keeps returning with perfect harmony vocals and the thrilling sound of her harp

    Paste

    Back during lackluster live streams alone in his apartment for a virtual audience his struggle to sustain his sobriety became apparent. Putting music aside, he decided to enroll in school to pursue a career in substance-abuse counseling. A new perspective led him to truly process the reason for writing music: to identify the source of someone’s pain, conveniently also the goal as a substance-abuse counselor. He admits that he aims to connect with people around the struggles that bind them together.

    Perfection us damn near impossible to come by and it almost never happens, Yet somehow, someway, Ryan Martin hit that rare pocket in time and captured perfection

    American Songwriter

    With the help of veteran producer/engineer Paul Kolderie (Pixies, Radiohead) remixing the song, “At Dusk” now has new flavor to it with more highlights of the sublime harmonies between Martin and guest singer/harpist Mikaela Davis, with an additional rock and roll energy in the anthemic choruses. Martin recently showcased at the Mondo.NYC conference with a live performance filmed at Old Soul Studios in Catskill, NY featuring musicians Jared Samuel (Kevin Morby), Nick Kinsey (Waxahatchee), David Lizmi (Fun), and Connor Grant (Sean Lennon).

  • NYS Music in Motion Season 3 Features John Hall, Kristen Capolino, Dan Smalls and more

    On Friday, November 5, John Hall of 1970s pop band Orleans (“Stay With Me,” “Still the One”) will kick off NYS Music in Motion Season 3, as he sits down with our host, rocker Frank Palangi.

    Sponsored by Helping Friendly Hemp Company, the series brings together seasoned musicians who hail from the Empire State or have made New York their home, alongside Palangi, a Warren County native.

    Music in Motion Season 3

    Guests for Season 3 of NYS Music in Motion include Hudson Valley guitarist Kristen Capolino, Lake George multi-instrumentalist Rich Ortiz, PEAK guitarist and front man Jeremy Hilliard, Glass Pony drummer Chanda Dewey, and Ithaca-based promoter Dan Smalls.

    Tune in starting on Friday, November 5 for each installment of Music in Motion on the NYS Music YouTube and Facebook page.

    Palangi will have a sit down conversation with each artist, with a lineup of musicians from across New York State. A homegrown indie rock recording artist, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Palangi fuels his positive ambition naturally by serving up a feeding frenzy of edge heavy guitars, with a side of deep, gritty vocals. With a no-quit mentality, Palangi draws on influences from 80s & 90s rock, including post-grunge and heavy metal.

    NYS Music in Motion Season 3 Schedule

    November 5 – John Hall
    November 12 – Kristen Capolino
    November 19 – Rich Ortiz
    December 1 – Jeremy Hilliard
    December 8 – Chanda Dewey
    December 15 – Dan Smalls

  • Sarah Jarosz Will Bring Her Memorable Trio to Albany, Katonah, Woodstock and Homer this December

    We’ll be hearing more from the four-time GRAMMY winner Sarah Jarosz, as she has announced a series of live performances of the Blue Heron Suite this December. After becoming the recipient of the FreshGrass Composition Commission and premiered the song at the FreshGrass Festival in 2017, she knew that we need to hear more. 

    sarah jarosz

    Her signature ember-smoky warble made an appearance in the latest recording of Blue Heron Suite was released May of this year featuring accompaniment by Jefferson Hamer and Jeff Picker. Performed on Mother’s Day for a special livestreamed concert event, the trio plans to reunite for the live shows along with other hits from her longtime award winning career. 

    Blue Heron Suite captures the feelings of transience that lurk around the edges of our lives and that come into the light in times when we face possible loss, but in these songs Jarosz demonstrates that we can be transported, momentarily at least, above our bodies and this earth on wings

    Henry Carrigan of Folk Alley

    Proclaimed as some of her best work yet from Atwood and receiving compliments of the most mature work of hers evoking rumination and deliberation, it would be an understatement to say that she has received glowing reviews. There may be something to learn for everyone; “it finds hope in spite of happenstance and wisdom in reflection”. 

    For a bit of a warm up Jarosz wrapped up a mini-tour of the east coast with shows in Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC. In early November, she will do a short run of dates with Shawn Colvin and Marc Cohn. She is planning an extensive tour of the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom in 2022 that will focus on 2020’s GRAMMY-winning album World on the Ground as well as Blue Heron Suite.

    An Evening with Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn, and Sarah Jarosz, Together in Concert

    Nov 4th – State Theatre – Minneapolis, MN

    Nov 5th – Hoyt Sherman Place – Des Moines, IA

    Nov 9th – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

    Sarah Jarosz – Blue Heron Suite Tour

    Dec 1st – Academy of Music – Northampton, MA

    Dec 2nd – Stone Mountain Arts Center – Brownfield, ME

    Dec 3rd – The Egg – Albany, NY

    Dec 4th – Caramoor – Katonah, NY 

    Dec 5th – Levon Helm Studios – Woodstock, NY

    Dec 7th – Center For The Arts – Homer, NY

    Dec 8th – Higher Ground – Burlington, VT

    Dec 9th – Narrows Center for the Arts – Fall River, MA

    Dec 10th – Shalin Liu – Rockport, MA

    Dec 11th – Portland House of Music – Portland, ME

  • Frazey Ford Soothes The Soul at Baby’s All Right

    Canadian singer-songwriter Frazey Ford brought her calming presence to a sold-out crowd at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on Oct. 28, 2021.

    The folk-soul artist beautifully belted hits such as “One More Cup of Coffee” and “Blue Streak Mama” to the gleeful audience. While most of her setlist was relaxing and down-tempo, Ford made sure to intersperse some higher-tempo songs such as “Done” and “September Fields” to get the audience dancing.

    In between songs, the mother of two shared stories, engaging with the crowd and making the performance even more intimate. Sharing her experiences from performing in L.A. the day prior and speaking on the cultural differences between Los Angeles and New York City. Most notably, she went on to divulge some information about her “hippie” parents, who named her Frazey Ford and allowed her brothers to choose her middle name. As she laughed off the memories, she continued, revealing that her brothers decided on the name Obadiah, who was their pet cat that had recently run away.

    You can listen to Frazey Ford’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube. Check out Ana Medvedeva’s photo recap below.

  • Sean Rowe Looks Back on ‘The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights’

    The latest release from Sean Rowe, The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights, is not just a thrilling listen. From first glance, the project begins its journey with listeners through its arresting album cover. The thought-provoking artwork depicts a smokey, neon, opaque cloud appearing in a mountain crevasse above two travelers. The cloud feels an apt metaphor for the album; The Darkness Dressed in Colored Lights envelops you, taking you to places that are both painfully familiar and entirely enlightening. 

    Rowe recorded the album alongside producer, friend, and longtime collaborator, Troy Pohl. Working from Bon Iver engineer Brian Joseph’s studio in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the pair aimed to tell Rowe’s stories. An “artist and nomad,” Rowe grew up in Troy, and first began playing locally in 2003. His long career has left him with a vast collection of tales from all corners of his heart. He shares them with heartbreaking clarity on Darkness. 

    Sean Rowe. Photo by Joe Navas

    Rowe’s deep and husky voice brings to mind the classics of country and Americana, while simultaneously evoking the vulnerable tenor of Matt Berninger, frontman of The National. His spare and purposeful instrumentals absolutely grip you, letting his singular voice stand out. On the opening track What Are We Now,” Rowe laments a disintegrating relationship. As the first song he recorded for the album, Rowe said he was dealing with a cold while in the studio for the track. He appreciated “ all the little imperfections. I knew my voice would never quite sound like that again…” 

    The track ends in a symphonic and strange collection of beeping noises and electric guitar whining. Over roughly 45 seconds, Rowe builds an ambient outro ending in a sound reminiscent of a Tibetan singing bowl, used for meditation. 

    His experimental use of ambient noises remains a theme throughout the album. But unlike some forays into ambient folk or electro-country, Rowe’s delicate production only amp up the emotional gut-punch of his songwriting. A dedicated naturalist and self-described forager, Rowe has often spoken of his deep connection to the forest and living close to the land. His dedication to the world around him is clear in the intuitive touches he adds to his music. Truly creating a world within a song, Rowe brings storytelling to a whole new level. 

    For its unique timbre, Rowe’s voice has incredible versatility. On “Gabriel,” where Jeremy Boetcher’s deep, reverberating upright bass makes the perfect partner, Rowe is an old-time blues poet. Meanwhile, “Little Death,” would easily get a summer Jones Beach crowd going, you can almost feel the ambient summer nights and the sloshing of Bud Light. Despite his versatility, Rowe seems most at home on his lowest notes, yet his higher ranges can be just as stunning. The mere cracks and vibrato in his voice singing “I know you feel me/When words don’t reveal me” on the outro record “Toast” is enough to bring tears to eyes. 

    The pattering beat of album centerpiece “Honey in the Morning” begs to be recounted around a campfire, hand-claps and all. Rowe said he was trying to capture something cinematic in the track, “a quality like a Kubrick or David Lynch film.” The ballad evokes the directors’ experimentation with the unknown perfectly. The chorus, “I know you’re a runner but I was hoping that I wasn’t right/ Honey in the morning turn to poison by tomorrow nightevokes a torrid love story while maintaining an air of mystery. The hypnotic instrumental, anchored by drummer Shane Leonard’s impossibly machine-like drumming, only adds to the uncanny quality. Eventually, an instrumental breakdown so good it’s not fair to spoil is the cherry on top. 

    Photo by Joe Navas

    For its complex atmospheres and shifting genres, at the heart of Rowe’s beautiful album is emotionally raw songwriting. His words feel deeply relatable and completely personal. In “What Are We Now,” he sings of a lover that just won’t let him go. 

    When the apple of your eye/ is an oxidizing core/ You’ll be sighing at the moon/ While you’re pumping in the gas/ And you’re hoping that tomorrow’s gonna save your tired ass. 

    The scene, so familiar yet specific, is paired perfectly with the pained understanding that you love something that may be harming you. Rowe said a recurring theme in his songwriting is “the duality that I feel is in all of us. All the hidden parts, and all the guts that spill out when we’re faced with tragedy, adversity, or a broken heart.”

    Darkness captures this duality with stunning clarity, vulnerability, and catharsis. Rowe’s lived-in stories speak of wreckage, recovery, and redemption. Elevated by the skilled instrumental and production work of friends and admired collaborators, each one is truly a gift. 

    Key Tracks: What Are We Now, Honey In The Morning, Toast 

  • Play it Leo! Leo Kottke Returns to Center for the Arts in Homer

    Play it Leo! Kottke that is. Leo Kottke returned to Homer Center for the Arts on Saturday, October 16. This solo acoustic performance, his last Upstate New York show since April 2018 at The Clayton Opera House comes ahead of the three dates scheduled with Mike Gordon of Phish in the Empire State this December. During 2020 the duo released their first record Noon in over fifteen years. So it was fitting for Leo to open the show with “From Pizza Towers to Defeat” at Homer Center for the Arts, a song written by the duo from their 2002 album Clone.

    John McConnell , Leo Kottke, Clayton Opera House April 2018

    You wouldn’t have seen a tour bus outside the Homer Center for the Arts on Saturday night. Leo Kottke’s solo tour traveling rig is simple, and very reminiscent of Chuck Berry when he showed up at the venue driving himself with two guitars and a steel slide in tow. Leo deals with venue staff directly and settles up on his own with no tour manager. Mike Gordon of Phish told Rolling Stone “Hes like this American treasure living in his own bubble. He’ll travel the country listening to Lone Ranger series from the 1950’s in its entirety in the car.”

    Leo Kottke, Center for the Arts Homer , October 2021

    Leo’s stories from traveling this great country were weaved in to his ninety minute set on the intimate Homer stage. Outside the venue was a local haunted attraction in its 39th year that gave the performance a vibe of Phish’s interpretation of Disney’s Chilling, Thrilling, Sounds of the Haunted House.

    Although Leo didn’t tell the crowd about his most recent studio release with Phish’s bassist, instead he told them about the first drummer he has ever collaborated with in 60 years:

    I’m having a ball doing this with David King of the band Bad Plus. It’s a nice cocktail kit, he doesn’t come in with this Keith Moon suicide drowning thing. We go in the studio and start making shit up, the only thing Dave doesn’t like is when I stop. It’s a great attitude to be around, a little dangerous as I will demonstrate now.

    Leo Kottke

    He told the crowd of American modernist composer Charles Ives and his struggles to get his work out. Overtime he hired Burlesque dancers to enhance attention on his Concord Sinata 2. After becoming acknowledged for his work someone told Ives over time, “I can tell its good music but it doesn’t sound very good” to which Ives replied “What,s sound got to do with music?”

    Leo’s point on it was that its a privilege to be able to play and if you have a chance to play. You don’t get to pick where you play and if you want people to hear what your doing and can’t find a crowd hire a burlesque orchestra to get some clout. “I mean its a privilege all around that it ever even happens in any faint way for you…but if there are people that want to listen your stuck with a privilege beyond luck, it becomes a thing itself”

    The audience chuckled as Kottke told them that he has played prisons, hospitals, schools and claimed they are all the same. For Kottke, The Center for the Arts in Homer counts as a 150 year old church gig. Leo admitted to playing a library opening in the past five years to a fellow musician friend due to his complaining that he has been subject to pizza parlor gigs. Defeat the pizza towers, “Play Anywhere,” Kottke told the crowd.

    You also won’t find a setlist after Leo’s performance either. The same fashion in which he entered he chose to exit and play through the encore “So we could all leave at the same time.” He finished the show with the classic piece “Corrina,” walking off the stage with both guitars in hand. New York’s legendary Pete Seeger called Kottke “The Best 12 string player in the world.”

    In December when Kottke returns to New York State with jamband giant Mike Gordon, expect the same kind of sharpness at the performance. Even though Leo has seen Phish on New Years Eve at Madison Square Garden, Mike Gordon recalled a tale from the road during their last tour when he put on a Grateful Dead jam to listen to in which Leo replied “OK, that’ll be enough of that.”

    Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon December 2021 Tour Dates

    December 8 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
    December 9 – Washington, DC – Sixth & I
    December 10 – Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
    December 12 – Beverly, MA – The Cabot
    December 13 – Lebanon, NH – Lebanon Opera House *
    December 15 – Troy, NY – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
    December 16 – Norwalk, CT – Wall Street Theater
    December 17 – York, PA – Appell Center for the Performing Arts
    December 19 – Plattsburgh, NY – Strand Center for the Arts