Detroit (IBC) Blues Challenge at Callahan's

A couple of great organizations!

I have meet so many interesting and talented people through my musical adventures in South Eastern Michigan that it really came as no surprise when this blog caught the attention of the promoter for the Detroit Blues Challenge at Callahan's.  As part of the International Blues Challenge (IBC) sponsored by the Blues Foundation, the Detroit Blues Society hosted a competition this past weekend pitting the finalists in the "Solo/Duo" and "Band" categories against each other for the honor of representing South East Michigan in Memphis this January.  I was honored to be invited to cover the event here, and got to see some incredibly talented musicians giving it their all.  As overheard several times at the event "I'm glad I'm not a judge today!"

A true gem in South East Michigan

In all, four Solo/Duo acts and six Bands competed in the event over the seven hour contest.  Quite the value for a mere $10 ticket price (especially when we learned that the entire $10 was being awarded to the winning acts to help defer some of their travel costs to Memphis)!  The bar was fairly full with a good mix of musicians, their friends and families, various blues society members (I got to share a table with a couple representatives of the Black Swamp Blues Society (Toledo) and found them--like all blues fans--to be friendly, engaging and passionate about live music).  One thing I loved was that almost everyone stayed for the entire event, supporting every musician equally.

Sweet Willie Tea & his Didly-Bo

Like bluegrass, folk and jazz, the definition of what constitutes blues music can vary widely, and lead to much debate.  Reading up on the guidelines for the event, I was pleased to see the it was evident that the Blues Foundation has really made efforts to embrace the spectrum of blues music around world.  Instead of dwelling on the interpretation of the blues, the rules focus rather on the individual musicianship (both vocal and instrumental) of the artist, as well as the the performance or "entertainment" value of the act.  The acts at the DBC definitely represented a broad spectrum of the genre, which made it a lot of fun to watch!
First up were the Solo/Duo acts.  Due to the mostly acoustic nature of the acts, it should be obvious that I have a rather soft spot in my heart for these artists.  Things began with an amazing One-Man-Band artist "Sweet Willie Tea".  Playing a variety of drum-kit parts (bass, snare, ride, crash) with his feet while singing and playing guitar/harmonica, Willie played in a variety of styles and included a variety of guitars including steel-bodied tri-cone resonator, wood-bodied dobro, a cigar-box guitar.  Perhaps the highlight of the performance was his closing number on the didley-bo.  Besides that classic slide sound, Willie was able to produce a variety of sound effects and even "voices" to accompany the song and the story that went with it.  A fantastic guitar player, smooth vocalist and captivating entertainer, Sweet Willie Tea was definitely the complete package.

Lauren Crane and her Koa Guitar

Next up was Singer/Songwriter Lauren Crane.  A captivating folk/jazz vocalist singing blues ballads with all her heart and soul.  She accompanied herself on a stunning Koa 000-style guitar.  Like many singer-songwriters, her playing tended to be mostly strum-based rhythms to support the song, rather than typical blues solos.  However, no one was there to hear her guitar.  Her incredible voice and inventive songwriting were clearly her strong suit.  If the contest had been held in a dimly-lit jazz club, late on a Saturday night, instead of noisy "battle of the bands" setting, Lauren would have blown the crowd away. 

Michigan Mick

Next was solo-guitarist, "Michigan" Mick.  Again, a mostly single dimensioned artist, his mix of blues-rock standards and high-speed originals played to his strong suit--lightning fast blues licks on the acoustic guitar.  Imagine if Stevie Ray Vaughn had never picked up a strat and had performed on a standard flat-top guitar and you'll get a good feel for his performance.  Micks voice was easy to listen to, but I found myself wanting to get to the next blistering solo just to see if he could top himself again!  One thing I notice was that Mick, of all the musicians there, seemed to be having a really good time.  His smile was infectious and the crowd was in to him big time.

The Amazing Alicia Venchuk

The last Solo artist was Alicia Venchuk from Ann Arbor.  A finger-style blues phenom, this college student was clearly the most talented musician of the night.  Playing both the round-neck dobro and an 000-guitar, Alicia tackled a wide range of both vocal and instrumental numbers featuring spot-on rhythm work and mind-blowing guitar breaks.  She closed with an instrumental number that featured percussive and scratching techniques on the dobro (ala' Tab Benoit) with the surprising addition of complicated rhythmic sounds produced by playing the sound-hole screens of her dobro. Overall, this young lady has the chops of a serious, seasoned musician.  I did notice that she seemed a bit shy about talking/interacting with the crowd between songs, preferring instead to launch right into the next incredible song in her repertoire. However, when the crowd would cheer during a song, she would perk right up, beaming an award-winning smile and mouthing a heart-felt "thank you" to the crowd.  Overall, I gave Alicia the nod on musicality, and Sweet Willie credit for his stage presence and called it a toss up.  The judges had a difficult decision, but picked the experienced showmanship of Sweet Willie over the pure talent of Alicia Venchuk.  Either choice would have been the right one.

Chris Canas and the Amazing Disappearing Guitar Strap

After and excellent burger (and better cup of coffee!) I was ready for the Band competition to begin, and it began with a bang! The Chris Canas band is a pure-Detroit blues machine boasting Chris' high-voltage guitar antics coupled with his soulful, almost R&B voice fronting a killer rhythm section and a fiery keboard.  Switching off with Chis on vocals was "Mrs. C" (claimed she was his Mother, but looked like an older sister!) with a soul-drenched voice that reminded me that Aretha, Gladys and Martha all came from Detroit too!  In the heat of one blistering solo, Chis let his guitar strap slip off and still managed to blow me away with his guitar work, all the while somehow holding onto the guitar during a series of wild guitar moves and pelvic gyrations!  The Chris Canas band not only put on a complete show, but spent the rest of the night mingling with the crowd.  They were truly demonstrating what it takes to be the "Ambassador of Detroit Blues".

Detroit Blues-rockers Drugstore Cowboys

Next up was the Drugstore Cowboys, a straight-ahead blues rock power trio.  I loved that they played almost entirely original material.  They have a unique sound...thing Ted Nugent doing Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps".    Digging through the hard-rock assault, their songs were surprisingly intelligent and poignant.  I particularly loved "My Wrench Don't Fit My Ford No More", a lament over cheap metric imports taking over the Motor City.  Probably a case of "great band / wrong setting", I really enjoyed the Drugstore Cowboys and would love to catch them at one of those classic Detroit rock clubs in the near future.  They are real-deal Detroit rockers!

Sandy Muligan gettin' her groove on....

How do you begin to explain Sandy Mulligan and the Gypsies?  I have a thing for all-girl bands, and even give them a lot of credit for their coordinating black-n-bling outfits, but it was their admission that they played mostly mellow and sometimes lusty blues that really sold me.  Nothing fancy here, a great singer-songwriter on acoustic guitar, backed by rhythm guitar, bass and drums.  At first I didn't care for the fairly simple structure of their songs, but then they hit their groove with a low-down cover of "Suzie Q" that left me somewhere between exhausted satisfaction and the need for a cigarette and a shower.  It was naughty....and a wee bit dirty...and amazing!  From there, the show continued to build with their infectious enthusiasm washing over the crowd until--too soon--it ended.  The Gypsies are a LOT of fun!

Real southern slide work from Elijah Craig

Elijah Craig--besides being a fairly good bourbon--is also a pretty good southern blues-rock outfit!  With a pair of lefties in the band, their mix of Allman-Brothers covers and original blues-based material featured not one, but TWO great guitarists combining slide licks on a Gibson SG and blues licks on a tele (I do love telecaster blues!).  Really good mix of soulful and more powerful rock-based lyrics here too.  Probably the best rhythm section of the night, with a quick, light-fingered drummer and a driving bass player who established a pocket it was impossible to fall out of.  Overall, a very good band with a great, danceable repertoire.

Next up was party-blues band Big Smooth & the Hellraisers.  I gave them very high marks right off the bat for realizing that they were in a competition, not another show.  So many bands now days dress in jeans and tee-shirts that it's sometimes hard to tell the band from the crowd.  Not so with this band and their quirky blend of aloha-chic and bowling-shirt couture wardrobe.  Somehow, it works.  Most of the bands started slow and built up during their sets.  Not so with Big Smooth, who kicked it off by saying "We're Big Smooth and the Hellraisers, and THIS is what WE bring to the party" before launching into a full-speed, hard-driving blues number that reached out and punched the crowd right in the face.  There was no doubt that these guys came to make a statement.  Backing up their bravado was a deceptively great band.

Big Smooth & the band raisin' some hell

One of the quickest and most tasteful drummers of the night coupled with some complex, sometimes funky riffs on the 5-string bass give the band all the energy they need to maintain their high-octane performance through the show.  The guitar work blended complex rhythm with blistering blues licks, shifting seamlessly between styles and sounds with ease.  And then there's Big Smooth.  A powerful vocalist and one of the best harp players I've heard in a long time, he somehow finds time to dance all over the state, never standing still for a moment.  Between an infectious smile, big-guy dance moves and a handful of Mardi-gras beads for the crowd, it is impossible not to have a good time at a Big Smooth show.  THAT'S what they bring to the party.

The BBSB (coolest rhythm section of the night)

The night ended with the Barrel Brothers Street Band.  This southern-style, piano-driven, boogie-woogie band played mostly cover songs, but in their own style.  Definitely and old-time, Tin-Pan-Alley feel to this band.  Great piano lick were accompanied by a great stand-up bass and a drummer playing a thrown together kit of snare, cowbell and cymbals somehow mounted on a Sampsonite suitcase (that also doubled as the kick drum).  A sax player rounded out the sound, contributing bluesy fills and jazzy solos.  Great semi-acoustic band!
In the end, it was six VERY different bands each offering something.  On my scorecard I had Chris Canas barely in the vocal/instrumental category and Big Smooth owning the stage presence.  Again, I don't know how the judges broke this toss-up, but they did choose the Chris Canas band to go to Memphis.  They are a great band, and will represent Detroit well!

Oh, the things you notice....

So there it is.  Another great weekend.  Another TEN great bands.  And more great music in South East Michigan.  There's nothing better than live local music, so go find some!

Festival Season: A Bounty of New Discoveries

The SeMiBluegrass Camp
Coming Soon to a Festival Near You

     What a crazy summer!  Hit a few of my favorite Michigan Bluegrass Festivals, and rolled the dice on a few new live music/festival experiences.  My intention was to write up a blog on each of them, but I was having such a darn good time (and picking until the sun came up too many times) that I find myself with a mixed up collection of pictures and memories that I'll share here.  Michigan is definitely home to some amazing live music events, and here are some of the best!

Chasin' Steel on stage at Charlotte

The Smooth, Cool Sounds of Lindsay Lout & The Flatbellys

     Summer started with my friends, Chasin' Steel, appearing at the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival.  Historically, the biggest and most prominent Bluegrass festival in Michigan, the untimely death of long-time festival promoter Jim Wilder left some question as to whether the festival would continue.  Based on what I saw this year, new promoter Wes has things well-in-hand and the festival will continue to grow and thrive for many years in the future.  One of the nice changes evident this year was the mix of traditional and more contemporary bands each day.  The festival still draws some big-name talent (Audie Blaylock & Redline and Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers were exceptional this year), but it was nice to see (and listen to) the jazz/swing-grass sounds of Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, the hot-pickin', side-splittin' schtick of Schlitz Creek and the bluegrass with a rock-and-roll attitude" of  Chasin' Steel.  I even got to pick with members of these bands in the campground late in to the night.  The late-night picking was simply amazing, and is a major reason (besides the great band lineup) that many people attend this festival.  Convenient, compact and well-maintained camping areas allow--if not encourage--people to roam from one campsite to the next, where you are apt to hear picking as good, if not better, than you did on stage that day!  The picking goes on all night, often until the sun comes up!  As a bonus, an often overlooked feature mentioned by dozens of camper I talked to was the lack of mosquitoes and biting flies in the campground (thanks to timely and repeated treatment of the grounds by the promoters).

Wyatt Kuhlman & Chasin' Steel at Aten Place

     After Charlotte, I followed  Chasin' Steel, to a cool concert series in Boyne Falls called Aten Place.   If you are not familiar, check them out online.  Owners Bill and Maxine Aten have converted their barn and the grounds of their farm to a world-class concert venue.  They book some incredible acts during the summer (the next two shows after Chasin' Steel where Detour Bluegrass and the Ragbirds to give you and idea of the caliber of talent they draw!).   Bill and Maxine open their home to the visiting bands (bed-and-breakfast style) and even feed them breakfast.  There love for live local music is evident in everything they do.  Few couples would give up all their summer evenings, and open their homes to an invading horde of music fans, but they do--and we should be darn glad of it!

Frostbitten Grass

     People show up an hour or two before the show and reserve their seats, often bringing a picnic basket and hanging out on the grounds, surrounded by the rolling hills and well-tended gardens of the property.  The show takes place in the barn, which boasts church-pew seating and a first-class sound system.  There is even an overflow pavilion  for sold out shows, and the sound is just as good out there.  Nearly everyone who attends brings a dessert or appetizer to share during the set-break, thoughtfully stored and served in the purpose built "pig trough" building.

The Sting Doctors

     Probably the highlight of my summer occurred here, when Jonah Kuhlman had his 10-year old son Wyatt join them on stage for the encore, kicking off a cool cover of "Hotel California" by strumming the first verse all by himself, adding his Dad on lead the second time through and the whole band the third.  Wyatt is already a great picker and brought the house down with this, his first ever live performance!  He even sat around the campfire afterwards, picking  with the adults until late in the evening.  What an amazing young man with, I'm certain, a bright future in music!

Hart, Harp & Bones

     The next stop on my summer tour was 8 hours away in Marquette, and worth every second of the drive!  I have always wanted to attend the Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival and finally made it work in my schedule.  Set in the beautiful Marquette Tourist Park, the festival grounds are as good as they get.  Plenty of shade, abundant electrical and water hookups, a sandy swimming beach, plentiful and clean restrooms and awesome food vendors (including the famous Dia De Los Tacos food truck--simply out-of-this-world good!).  I listened to some incredible bands here.
Probably some of the best music I heard came from members of the legendary U.P. bluegrass band Frostbitten Grass, who reunited after a 10-year hiatus and dished out some of the grooviest, hippest (and late at night in the campground, some of the funniest "PG13") music of the summer.  By no means a typical bluegrass band, their sound is hard to classify other than "infectious" or "fascinating".  Check them out online, you'll dig it.

Cody Lakenen

     A couple other bands really caught my ear as well.  The String Doctors captured that classic string-band, old-time ballad sound, including a cover of "Georgia On My Mind" that left me speechless.  A pleasant surprise was local Marquette Newgrass outfit Sparrowtree, who have matured into a tight, hard-driving band with first-rate vocal harmonies.  Definitely watch for them in the future.  I also sat in on a great acoustic blues workshop hosted by Hart, Harp & Bones who not only play classic delta blues, but share the stories behind the tunes, and explain how they fit into the history of American music.  It was great to see local street musician Cody Lakenen sitting in with them as well, as he has become an incredible slide guitar player and really added to the workshop.

Sparrow Tree Getting it Done Vocally

     Even SeMiBluegrass favorite band Dragon Wagon made an appearance, closing out Saturday night at the dance tent, keeping the enormous crowd on their feet and dancing until well past midnight.  Their set features some new songs, including a great cover of the Gillian Welch classic "Miss Ohio" sung by new fiddle player (and frontman Don's new fiance!) Megan.  Definitely a "keeper".
     Finally, I attended the Marshall Bluegrass Festival in Marshall, Michigan.  Long known as the premier "Parking Lot Picker" festival in Michigan, this was another festival with an uncertain future after the passing of promoter Burke Cole.  Thankfully, his nephew Jeremie Cole has picked up where he left off and forged on, full-speed-ahead.  When I arrived early Thursday, I was forced to park in the far corner of the festival grounds.  This was awesome news because: 1) it meant attendance was way up from last year, when I arrived late and parked near the middle of the grounds and 2) new upgrades to the fairgrounds meant I still was able to access 20V, 30V or 50V electrical service!  Evident from the time you pulled in the gate was all the hard work Jeremie and his army of helpers put into growing the festival.  There were activities every day of the week starting the Sunday before the festival!  A well organized and well-run kids activity area looked  like a lot of fun.  The band scramble shows were just as good as the regular stage shows, and the workshops were not only well-attended, but fun, informative and entertaining.

Dragon Wagon and a FULL dance tent!

     Local acts abound at the Marshal Bluegrass Festival, but two acts really stood out.  First, was national bluegrass act Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice.  One of my favorite bands, and winner of the 2013 IBMA Best Male Vocalist and 2014 SPBGMA Best Bluegrass Band awards, Junior and the band put on an electrifying performance featuring hot picking and powerful harmonies.  Watching them perform, you have to wonder if they even need the PA system, or would their sound carry the festival on its' own?

Out of Mind Bluegrass

Mandolin Workshop

     The other pleasant surprise was a young bluegrass group of of Columbus, Out of Mind.  I ran into these cats picking "Wheel Hoss" under a tree by my camper and they blew me away from the beginning.  Definitely a traditional sound, they cover Bluegrass Album band classics like they are meant to be played!  Great mandolin chops, a driving banjo roll, and the smoothest flat-picked guitar I've heard really pushes the band to the next level.  I watched their guitar player hang with the best the campground had to offer all night, and he never broke a sweat, throwing in one hot guitar lick after another.  He even stopped by our campfire for a late-night snack (really early morning) and picked a few SemiBluegrass tunes.  Keep an eye out for them, you won't regret it (I see they're already scheduled for Marshall next year!).

Late night, under a tent, with a bunch of strangers playing
music.  It don't get no better than that!

     I am always saying "there is nothing better than live, local music" and I mean it.  Michigan is home to some incredible festivals.  In addition to these, we have the Milan Bluegrass Festival that draws all the big names in Bluegrass, the funky-cool mid-summer hippy-fest that is Blissfest, and the Wheatland Music Festival bringing you the premier names in folk-based music.  There's live, local music out there everywhere...get out there and enjoy some!

Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival: So Much More Than Just Music

     I spend a great deal of time in Marquette Michigan.  Whether it's visiting with family, hanging out with my bluegrass buddies in Chasin' Steel, attending the Annual Marquette Area Blues Fest with my blues "family", sampling a fine craft brew at Blackrocks Brewery, or incredible Cajun food at Lagniappe, I have always managed to find the "best" in this great city.  Therefore, the fact that I had NEVER attended the Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival held in the scenic Marquette Tourist Park bothered me to no end.  So, this year, I vowed to do something about this oversight and bought my ticket, pointed the headlights north and hit the road, over the bridge to "God's country".  And Brother, am I glad I did!

Swimming Beach

Travelling in Style!

     First, the setting.  I can imagine no better place to hold a music festival.  Located right outside of downtown, the Marquette Tourist Park boast seemingly endless expanses of shady camping under towering pines, a first-class swimming beach in the Dead River basin, comfortable expanses of well maintained grass, and wide, well maintained drives and paths to get around.

The Main Stage

      Camper hookups were available, but the majority of camper (myself included) lean towards tent camping.  The campground is well maintained, clean and comfortable.  Their is ample security present.  Trash cans, composting bins, and recycling pickup are everywhere and emptied regularly.  This is definitely a "green" event. The grounds are bigger than they appear, and most of the parking is off-site, so a bicycle is a definite plus.  There is a super-cool, free, horse-drawn shuttle to the parking lot as well.

Incredible Food Truck!

The quirky main stage is high enough to allow excellent viewing from anywhere, and the staff enforces a "blankets and low chairs" in front rule to keep sight lines open. The stage is centrally located, with a large field where you can leave your folding chairs.  The sound system was rather small for my tastes.  It was not so much a lack of volume (I understand that they are trying to be good neighbors), but rather a somewhat thin, anemic character to the mix that I found somewhat lacking for an outdoor venue.   I caught a couple shows at the main stage and they were thoroughly enjoyable.

Artists In the Round

Overall, the layout is well thought out, with easy access to the food concessions (try the "little Miss Piggy from Dia de los Tacos), art vendors and ample portable toilets.    There was a really cool vendor/artist area just off the main stage, with the requisite tie-die and drum vendors, but also some really cool local artists with their work.  Prices were reasonable, bordering on insanely low, for some really cool work by incredibly talented artists.  A pottery vendor caught my eye with some hand-thrown beer mugs with the UP glazed into the sides, perfect for a basement bar "mug club".

Belly Dancing to Live Music

     A huge, airy tent with wooden floor comprises the "dance tent" (usually called the "second stage" by festival goers).  A variety of square-dance, clogging, belly dancing and swing dancing seminars are held all day, with many of the main stage acts serving as the music.  With an excellent sound system (courtesy of Jim Supanich at Sombrero Sound), I found watching the acts in this smaller, more intimate setting to be even more enjoyable than the main stage!  The Saturday night "teen dance" really worked the crowd into a frenzy, with high octane sets from uptempo bluegrass band Tin Can Gin and a fired-up Dragon Wagon.  By midnight, the tent and surrounding grounds were overflowing with crazy teens and adults alike, all jamming to the infectious groove.  Really a highlight of the festival for me.

Frostbitten Grass

Sparrow Tree

Harp, Hart, Bones and Cody

 Another cool venue at the festival was the workshop tent.  Unlike some festivals, these workshops were less "hands on" and more "small artist showcases", where bands played some of their tunes, while providing some narration and the opportunity to interact with the crowd.  I saw some incredible performances in the workshop tent, including the swingy, melodic bluegrass-inspired grooves of Frostbitten Grass, the high-energy jamgrass and soaring harmonies of Sparrow Tree, and a trip through the Delta Blues with Hart, Harp and Bones (with my buddy Cody sitting in on his National guitar).  There was also a  really cool jamming tent set up by the swimming area as well, with some cool open jams, drum circles and some old-timey music.  I didn't get to attend many, but they looked like a whole lot of fun!  Between the main stage, dance tent, workshops, teen scene, jamming tent and artists area, there was definitely something for everyone at all times during the day.  There's even an amazing kids area with hundreds of entertaining, high-quality activities all day long.

One of hundreds of late night jams...

     So, with a day packed full of sunshine, music, great food and interesting people, most people go right to bed after the last show, right?  Um...no.  This is one of the greatest all-night jamming festival's I've ever been to (except for the "family area" which is respectfully and remarkably quiet all night--an added benefit of the sprawling site layout). Plenty of jams are available to suit any taste.  From energetic bohemian young persons sitting on the ground in the dark belting out Green Day and the White Stripes, to old folkies with elaborately decorated (and well lit) jamming tents, there was something for everyone.  I sat in on bluegrass, folk, old-time, cajun, blues and fiddle tune jams.  I listened to more varieties of music than I can remember, culminating in an accordion/upright bass duo belting out Finnish drinking songs (cool beyond words).
     Overall, this has to be one of the best festivals I've attended.  The music is fantastic, the people friendly, and the site is beautiful, safe and inviting.  The vibe is very mellow and fun, and the whole event is very family-friendly.  I'll be going back next year, and bringing my daughter with me!  To the event organizers I say "really well done" and (of course) "Happy Hiawatha!"

Pure Soul: Carolyn Wonderland at The Ark

Heart and Pure Texas Soul: Carolyn Wonderland

The Premier Venue for Roots Music in SE Michigan!

I first encountered the Carolyn Wonderland band at the Marquette Area Blues Festival a couple years ago.  While there is no denying that she is a special talent on her own (more on that below), I was truly impressed by her relationship and interaction with her band.  It is rare to see three musicians come together so entirely, fall into a comfortable grove and play off each other so completely.  When I saw they were playing the Ark in Ann Arbor (one of the truly great, intimate venues around), it became a "must see" event on my summer music calendar.

The Incomparable Carolyn Wonderland

On the Tuesday of the show, I got home from work and was just getting on my lawn tractor to mow the lawn when I remembered "Holy Cow!  I have tickets for the show tonight!" (wow...getting older sure is an adventure).  With that said, I threw on a tee shirt and some shorts and hit the road for Ann Arbor.  After a weird sour beer and awesome bowl of soup at the Jolly Pumpkin, I headed across the street and was able to snag the first place in line for the show.  As usual, met some cool people in line, including a nice couple who I'd seen at a bunch of shows recently and ended up sharing a front-row table with them.

With a decent crowd on hand for a Tuesday night, the show started right on time and--from the very first note--I was transfixed by one of the most engaging, high energy performances I have ever seen.  From the heels of her authentically Texan boot-clad feet to the tips of her immaculately painted bright red nails, Carolyn Wonderland simply oozes the type of grit and soul that bespeaks countless performances in the honky tonks, speakeasies and back rooms of the blues circuit.  It is a rare treat to hear her sing, as she bares heart and soul to the audience; drenching every phrase, lick and note with her full attention.  It is the kind of singing that transforms you; pulling you deep into the song and revealing the nuances of meaning behind the lyrics.  When each song ended, their was inevitably a moment of stunned silence in the crowd as they struggled to come to grips with what they had just witnessed, followed by enthusiastic applause.  The affable and humble Ms. Wonderland seemed genuinely taken back by the response, as if she too were somewhat amazed by the passion with which she sings.  This was definitely one of the finest vocal performances I have ever seen.

Rob Hooper on Drums

Cole El-Saleh on Keys/Bass

And then there is the Carolyn Wonderland band--and what a band it is.  Set up in a small triangle, so that they can see/play/groove off one another, the trio of Carolyn on guitar, Rob Hooper on Drums and Cole El-Saleh on Keys (and a super cool bass emulator keyboard to boot) are simply one of the tightest and most professional bands you will ever see.  A large man playing a diminutive drum kit, Rob's light touch and lightning-fast hands really drive the band.  From thunderous tom, snare and cymbal work, to feather-light touches with brushes (and even claps/finger snaps) the dynamic range with which he plays  provides only not drive to the band, but add the depth and character so often missing in live performances.  With his Lennon-esque glasses and flowing hair, Cole El-Saleh is the epitome of cool.  Couple that with the fact that he plays one of the finest keyboard lines around AT THE SAME TIME he plays a fantastic bass line, and it is soon evident that he can back up those cool looks with old-fashioned musical bad-assedness as well.  On top of all this, both Cole and Rob contribute killer background vocals to the band sound.  Their soaring two- and three-part harmonies are able to stand up to Carolyn's powerful and soulful lead, transporting the listener above the lyrics and burying them in the groove of the song.

The magic of a tele in the hands of a master....

I can only imagine one guitar sound that could possibly stand up to the power of the vocals in the Carolyn Wonderland band and that is the dirty, twangy sound of a Telecaster played with the bridge pickup selected.  In addition to her stunning vocal work, Carolyn Wonderland is also an incredible guitar player, coaxing the most amazing tone and texture from her Thinline Tele.  Like it's owner, the guitar drips personality, sporting a fur mustache and reflective peace sign, and a cigarette burn between the nut and first tuning machine  that adds just the right amount of "street credibility". 

And the lap steel...

And the trumpet...

Like all my favorite blues guitarists, she eschews the complexity of multiple effects pedals, instead using her hands (and sometimes a little "body English") to coax the sounds she wants from her instrument. During the set, Carolyn also featured some slide work, choosing the lap steel over the tele for a fuller, darker sound.  To close the first set, she even brought the crowd to the Texas-Mexico border with a Latin inspired number sung in Spanish and accompanied by--of all things--some hot licks on the Trumpet. No matter how many times she shifted gears, the band found a way to grab hold and hang on, always adding to the sound and keeping the pocket and groove alive.  Truly one of the finest overall performances I have seen at the Ark (and that's saying something!).

What a night!

The Road Trip Chronicles: Adventures in Live Music

Each year, Spring Break arrives with its' car loads of college kids heading south for a booze-fueled week of frolicking and frivolity.  So, why would two friends, both in the latter part of middle-age, and both nursing recent knee injuries hop in the car for two full days of travel, covering over 1000 miles through five states just to see two live music shows?  Because...it's worth it! To paraphrase my companion on the journey "It's about the People, the Places, and the Music...and in that order!" (a turn of  phrase he usually reserves for our fishing adventures ...but that's a whole novel of other stories).

A "Must See" in Downtown Nashville

Since my last visit to Nashville, I've wanted to catch a show at the "World Famous Station Inn". The opportunity presented itself when Brent Truitt (mandolin player for the SteelDrivers) saw my SeMiBluegrass.com write-up of their performance at the Ark earlier this month and invited me to catch another show as his guest.  So...when I saw the SteelDrivers were playing the Station Inn on Good Friday, and I was conveniently on Spring Break at that time, a hair-brained scheme was hatched and a road trip born.  I was originally planning to drive down by myself, catch the show, find a place to crash, and drive back in the morning to see Samantha Fish live at Callahan's Music Hall back in Michigan.  Yes, an all day drive for the SteelDrivers on Friday followed by an all-day drive back on Saturday for Samantha Fish.  I like my bluegrass bluesy and my blues done electrified, funky and with soul, so this seemed like a perfectly reasonably idea.  Fortunately, my good friend Victor got a "pass" from both his new bride and his orthopedic surgeon and agreed to join me on this adventure.  Even being last minute on a holiday weekend, we were able to book a room at a reasonable rate at the Days Inn in Joelton (a no-frills motel, but convenient, clean with a very friendly and helpful staff) and hit the road early.

We left promptly at 7:30am on Friday for the 9-hour trip to Nashville so we would have plenty of time to check into the motel, freshen up from the road, change clothes and go check out Lower Broadway before getting in line early for the show.  Rumor had it that they sell out early and turn away more people than get in, so we wanted to get their by 6:00 or so.   Our plan lasted exactly until noon...when a series of minor traffic accidents, a light rain, and holiday traffic combined to stretch our 9-hour trip into something more like 12-hours.  We were forced to leave the highway, and old-school navigate via paper map to the hotel where we barely had time to change shirts and hit the road.  Battling even more traffic, we drove directly to the Station Inn, arriving at 6:45 to a line stretching around the block, in the rain.  We were 300 or so people back in the line and things were looking grim--we may have spent the whole day driving for naught.

The Taylor Brashears Band

Lucky for us, I ran into Brent as he was unloading his gear at the side door of the venue and, true to his word, he invited Victor and I inside as his guests and arranged for us to site with his wife, son and assorted family members right in front of the stage.  We thoroughly enjoyed not only the company (which was superb) but also the opening act, a county vocalist named Taylor Brashears.  Her pure Nashville voice coupled perfectly with a hot band that included a drummer with the rare talent of playing tastefully under an acoustic band.  Her guitar player took a vintage '63 Fender Jaguar and wrung  the full five decades worth of passion, tone and soul out of it with a wonderful, full reverb, semi-surf-guitar sound.  I suspect the world will be hearing more of this act.  This appears to be a pretty good YouTube video of the band doing Louise (an original tune)?  I also loved her rendition of Emmylou Harris' Two More Bottle of Wine done a bit up-tempo to really get the crowd primed for the main act.

The SteelDrivers, loose and enjoying themselves!

After seeing the SteelDrivers at the Ark (a pure listening venue) I was curious to see how their live show would translate to the Station Inn (their "home" bar and a somewhat looser and rowdier setting).  Overall we got the same, professional, polished show with a good mix of songs off of their current album Hammer Down (which I am starting to prefer) and older material.   I was immediately struck by the sense that the band seemed a lot looser and appeared to be really enjoying themselves.  They put just a wee bit more passion in their vocals and instrumental breaks and a lot of energy into their onstage bantering and antics including a memorable riff on a Mellow Yellow bottle. The grins on their faces and sometimes even laughter during each others' breaks were contagious and got the whole crowd into the show.  Perhaps the thing I love most in live music is when the audience can tell that a band is not only enjoying playing their music, but also genuinely enjoys being on stage with each other, and the SteelDrivers delivered this in spades!

Bad picture, great singer!

One noticeable aspect of a Station Inn show was apparent during the quieter/slower numbers; when the murmur, laughter and talking of the audience occasionally drowns out the band.  It sometimes sounded like the band had dropped in on a bachelorette party, but...what do you expect in a bar setting where everyone is having a really good time?  It didn't really detract from the show, just added some character to the evening.  Even the toaster-oven, Chicago-cut  pizza is pretty darn good (not quite as good as the Riverside Bar in Iron River, Michigan, where we ate pizza with our grandparents when we were kids, but that might be more a factor of inflated recollections of my childhood than actual quality of the pizza).  Overall, the Station Inn delivers what it promises, great live bluegrass music.  I definitely need to catch more shows there (even if it is a 9 hour drive).  After the show, Victor and I decided to head back to the motel where we partied like rock stars for 2 or 3 minutes and hit the hay for an early wakeup call and part two of our live music adventure.

Aww...Too Cute!

Our leisurely drive North took us only 9-1/2 hours (plus loosing an hour due to time zones) which put us at Callahan's Music Hall just in time to see a light-colored "band van" head out of the parking lot.  The fact that it was wearing fake eyelashes over the headlights convinced me we were at the right place.  As a member of the Marquette Area Blues Society I have had the great pleasure of meeting several amazing bands from the Kansas City area including Levee Town and Trampled Under Foot.  Without exception, they all say the same thing: "You have to check out Samantha Fish.  She's amazing".  Ms. Fish has gained quite a bit of notoriety from the Girls with Guitars tour and I was eager to see her perform.  I had a preconceived notion that she'd be yet another young gun guitar-slinger making a name for herself with one lightning fast lick after another.  I could not have been more wrong, nor more pleasantly surprized.  The Samantha Fish Band is a full-immersion trip into what a modern blues band should be.

Love the CBG!

The set started off with a deep, swampy and dark number featuring Ms. Fish on the cigar box guitar, which she plays with a brass slide to extract an incredibly rich tone.  Here's a link to a really good "fan video" from the show with sound from Callahan's board so you can hear what I mean.  I was immediately enthralled with her playing.  However, I was much more enchanted with her vocal abilities.  From soft and sultry to harsh and angry, she has a terrific dynamic range and sings with both soul and personality, a rare combination in female singers these days.  While her sound is fairly traditional, straight-ahead blues, her facial expressions, head bobbing and distinctly  feminine moves on stage give her a contemporary and funky edge that I really enjoyed.

The Samantha Fish Band Gettin' Down!

As much as I loved her slide work, when she picked up her Telecaster (well...a Telecaster inspired guitar from Delaney Guitars) her talent really shined.  While fully capable of face-melting solos, it's her subtle rhythm playing under her vocal work that sets Samantha Fish apart from the rest. Unlike so many performers her age, she seems to understand that sometimes, "less is more" and that soulful licks and subtle pauses can add more to a song that one virtuoso lick after another.   She also utilizes the dynamics of her voice to really sculpt songs, extracting tons of emotion and feeling from the lyrics. From catchy originals, to blues standards to some cool cover tunes (including covering Tom Petty, Tab Benoit and the James Gang), she pays respectful homage to the roots of the blues, and provides us a peek into what  it's future can and should be.

The Complete Package--Samantha Fish

From quiet passages barely above a whisper to throaty soul-queen roars Ms. Fish takes the listener on a ride and keeps giving them more.  A few times she even stops playing the guitar all together and punctuates her vocals with hand gestures, trusting her rhythm section to carry the groove for her.  By the way, bassist Christopher Alexander and drummer Go-Go Ray are incredible talents in their own right.  Under the leadership of Ms. Fish, the band is somehow greater than the sum of it's parts and truly delivers a professional and enjoyable experience to the audience.  Once again, we were treated to a show where the musicians were having just as much fun as the audience.  Between sets, and after the show, Ms. Fish chose ti forego a trip back stage to cool off and relax, instead choosing to mingle with the audience, sign CDs and talk to just about everyone in the bar.  Everything about this young lady screams "class" and "professional".  I am sure she will continue to be incredibly successful in what she does.

Both Callahan's and the Station Inn are well known for booking only the best in live music.  However, both the SteelDrivers and Samantha Fish proved that, even if it requires some effort, it is possible to see the best of the best.  So, was the 20+ hours and 1000 miles of driving worth it?  You bet!  Samantha summed it up best as we were leaving the club.  She came over to say "goodbye" and asked us "are you the two guys who drove all the way from Nashville?"  When we told her we were, she told us "You crazy F@#$%rs!", gave us a little hug and sent us on our way, smiling!  So...who's up for my next road trip?

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Thorougly Entertaining : The Corktown Popes @ Callahan's

This year, my wife and I have been making an effort to "embrace" each others taste in music.  When her favorite band, the Corktown Popes, booked a night at Callahan's Music Hall in Auburn Hills (one of my very favorite venues) on the Eve of Saint Patrick's day, it was kind of a no-brainer to get tickets, round a group of friends and venture out for a night of live music.  While not bluegrass by any definition, I was thoroughly entertained and pleasantly surprised by what I saw.

John Holk & the Sequins:  Pure Nashville

"This is definitely not your type of music" said my wife as the warm-up band, John Holk and the Sequins took the stage.  I took one look at the pedal steel guitar, cowboy hats and lusciously embroidered, fringed jackets and though, "Oh!  How wrong can you be!  I love this kind of stuff!".  Pure, twangy Nashville country/rock, their high energy mix of original material and killer covers (including a version of Devil in Disguise that paid homage to the Bluegrass Album Band) was just the type of SeMiBluegrass I love to stumble on.  By time they got to a Johnny Cash (Folsom Prison Blues) / Elvis Presley (That's Alright) mashup, I was grinning ear-to-ear and hanging on every note.  What a fantastic band.  Go see them!

The Corktown Popes kick it into high gear

As the Pre-Saint Patrick's Day party swung into high gear, and the Irish Whiskey began to flow freely (more on that later) the main event started with a pure Irish snare drum cadence from the heart of the audience.  As the Corktown Popes took the stage, they picked up on the cadence and launched into one of their many, high-energy original songs.  I was immediately intrigued by their eclectic mix of modern electric instrumentation (drums, bass, telecaster and keys) with more traditional, acoustic instrumentation (accordion, acoustic guitar, mandolin and Irish whistle).  It's an odd, hodgepodge of sounds, but it somehow works for them. Frontman, Terry Burns' powerful voice easily cuts through their rich, full sound and propels the band through beautiful slow songs and driving, high-octane barn-burners with equal precision and grace.  He immediately connects with the audience and builds on their energy throughout the set.

Goodmen, Youngquist and Burns getting it done

Like many of the band I listen to, their sound defies classification. On the one hand, they're a rock band.  But a Detroit rock band, with that quintessentially gritty, urban, Rustbelt sound so familiar to fans of the Detroit rock scene of the 80s and 90s.  On the other hand, they're definitely an Irish band, from Burns' subtle Irish brogue to Paul Goodmen's triplet infused fills on the accordion (a sound you usually hear on the fiddle, but way cooler on the accordion) there is a definite link to their heritage. Their vocal harmonies are spot on and sound like they've been singing together since they were kids.  The classic combination of Mike Martin's mandolin with guitarist Jason Kuehn's contributions on the Irish whistle help further define their sound and remind you of the band's Irish roots, especially on the mandatory traditional songs required by the nature of the event.  Drummer Dave Younquist and Bassist Joe Bagozzi form what might be the best rhythm section I've heard in quite some time.  Tastefull at times and powerful when needed, they kept the energy flowing all night long.

As midnight fell, the St. Paddy's day party started and the whiskey continued to flow (both on stage and in the crowd), the setlist naturally drifted from Irish Rock show into pure Irish holiday bar band fare.  The band shifted effortlessly into this roll, bringing out stools and acoustically covering many standard Irish pub songs.   The band, however, never let you forget you bought a ticket to a rock show in the first place.  From the  multiple, green-clad audience members dancing (swaying?) on stage to the epic, punk rock inspired, crowd-walk-turned-table-dive that sent dozens of audience members, drinks and beer bottles flying, this was one St. Patrick's day show I will always remember.

Like what you read?  Follow SeMiBluegrass on Facebook or at www.SeMiBluegrass.com. I'm always looking for interesting live music in Southeast Michigan.  Got a show, venue or review you'd like to see written up here?  Know of a band I should go see?  Want to contribute an article of your own?  Contact me at SeMiBluegrass@gmail.com.

A Night of "Uneasy Listening": The Steeldrivers @ The Ark

I came to Bluegrass quite by accident in my mid-40s about 6 years ago when I witnessed my very first live bluegrass show on the banks of the Au Sable river in Grayling, Michigan.  The very next, day, on my way home, I swung by Elderly Instruments in Lansing because I had heard they sold Bluegrass CDs.  The SteelDrivers self-titled CD holds the distinction of being the very first Bluegrass album I purchased. I listened to it on the way home.  And then I listened again.  And again.  A mere six years and almost 1000 albums later, I can say that they certainly launched me on a wonderful adventure in acoustic music!

They found a parking space?

So, when the SteelDrivers (one of my favorite bands) booked a show at The Ark (one of my favorite venues) I had to go.  The cold, windy weather couldn't stop me from showing up early and staking out my favorite first spot in the line.  I was lucky enough to stumble on the band unloading their gear at curbside.  They immediately asked me if I was waiting to get into the show and introduced themselves.  Even though I have come to expect this type of humility from Bluegrass bands, I was struck by how down-to-earth and genuinely excited they seemed to be about playing at The Ark.  I was also intrigued by a large, sort of coffin-shaped case that came out of the van.  Turns out that Mike Flemming's Bass actually breaks down (or folds?) and fits in that case for travel.  After a cramped round trip to Marquette in a similar van spent jammed in a corner to make room for a friend's bass, I certainly see the value of this idea.  From first hand experience I can also tell you that Mike's "travel" bass sounds fantastic!

After the usual long wait in line made tolerable by the quirky, wonderful and cool people you get to meet and talk to while waiting, we got in the show and were fortunate to get a table right at the front of the stage.  I've been able to sit in those same seats for some fantastic acts (Jerry Douglas, Ricky Skaggs, The Steep Canyon Rangers...) and love being able to not only hear the show, but experience some of the small nuances of the performance that you can only see up close and in person.  The fact that a bunch of my friends were sitting near me made it even better.  Right on time the band started.  From the first note, they sounded fantastic. From a tongue-in-cheek reference to their music being "uneasy listening--where bad things happen to good people" to the onstage banter and lots of little smiles and giggle during and between songs, it was obvious that they were as excited about playing at The Ark as the audience was about hearing them!

Tammy, Mike and Gary: The Core of the SteelDriver's Sound

It's virtually impossible to write a review of a SteelDrivers show without mentioning that the band has undergone some personnel changes over the years (but what bluegrass band hasn't?).  This lineup, while the least familiar to me, has ended up being my favorite.  The core of their powerful, bluesy, melancholy sound comes from the unique vocal harmonies of Tammy Rogers (Tenor), Gary Nichols (Lead) and Mike Flemming (Baritone).  While not a traditional "perfect thirds" harmony, it is apparent that they spend a LOT of time perfecting their parts until they come together into a full, round and sometimes eerily haunting blend where it's almost impossible to distinguish their individual voices. For those not familiar with their work, a typical SteelDrivers set list is heavy on hill-country murder ballads, prison songs, good love gone wrong tales and songs about the evils and wonder of strong liquor.  Their unique vocal sound is perfectly suited for this type of material.

Coming a mere 2-1/2 weeks after the release of their new album Hammer Down, the SteelDrivers Ark Set covered almost all of the new material, and a remarkable number of songs from their first two albums.  My  favorite songs off the new album were Wearing a Hole, a honky-tonk number written by Nashville country singer/songwriter Deryl Dodd, and When You Don't Come Home, a lyin', cheatin', no-good-husband song done to a feel-good beat that really let's Tammy's vocals shine. It's nice for a man to come out on the wrong side of the "forty-five" for a change too!  I can honestly say that I loved every one of the new songs.  How Long Have I Been Your Fool, co-written by Tammy and old band-mate, Chris Stapleton, has the kind of cross-over potential that leads me to think you might hear that song on mainstream country radio in the near future.

Brent Truitt on Mandolin

It was their old standards, however, that most intrigued me.  This is probably the only review that you will ever read that doesn't compare Gary's voice to his predecessor.  Being an acoustic blues fan at heart, I was more intrigued by how their new mandolin player, Brent Truitt was going to handle the other former member, Mike Henderson's, part on songs like Good Corn Liquor where Mike chose to play a National Steel Guitar instead of his mandolin, and really gave those songs their signature bluesy feel.

I didn't have long to wait.  Corn Liquor came up as the third or fourth song and Brent stepped up to the mic to take his break.  "Pretty standard mandolin break" I thought as he began.  And then, out of his humble mandolin, came exactly the type of dirty, low-down, string bending blues licks you expect to hear coming out of a nicontine-stained telecaster in some back alley bar after midnight.  His foot-forward stance, low-slung instrument, faded jeans, well-worn shirt and long bangs covering his eyes (and a couple of fresh bandaids) only completed the illusion. This is not how the mandolin played.  It is not what I expected to hear. What is was my friends, was awesome!  For the rest of the show, every time he broke out one of those licks, I was giggling like a 5-year old with a new toy.  I loved it!

The SteelDrivers' Press Photo

To be fair, all of the SteelDrivers are incredible musicians.  Richard Bailey plays some absolutely ridiculous stuff on the banjo.  I'd try to describe it to you, but I'm sort of at a loss to compare it to anyone else.  He has his own, comfortable style that perfectly complements what's going on lyrically in the song.  It's smooth and mellow when it has to be and hard and edgy when it needs to be.  You really have to see him play live to see what I mean.  Mike Flemming lays down a groovy, driving bass line and, unlike many bass players, is able to sing without backing off his bass part.  Tammy Rogers is one of the most tasteful and dynamic fiddle players I've seen, able to blend in or stand out as needed.  It is plain to see that she loves playing music, and loves playing with this band in particular.  Her body language, smile and infectious enthusiasm all scream "fun" for the entire show.  Gary Nichols, while not a traditional bluegrass rhythm player, has a stripped down style that perfectly suits the SteelDrivers' sound.  That's not to say he's not an amazing picker; his "duel" with Brent before To Be With You Again showcased some of the finest flatpicking I've seen.  He can not only play lightning-fast licks, but can play them with soul--a skill many a hot, young picker never develops.  I was actually sitting close enough to make out the small (nickle sized) logo on the headstock of his guitar.  It turns out he plays a Hays Guitar, and it sounded great at The Ark.

I am aware that every show I see at The Ark seems to be my "favorite" show.  This one was no exception.  This time however, it has less to do with the fantastic staff at The Ark, who seem to know how to match great artists with their unique audience and setting, and more to do with the fact that the SteelDrivers were my "first love"--the first bluegrass act I really latched onto.  This show was special to me.  They are not really a traditional bluegrass band ("SeMiBluegrass"?  Hmmm...).   For me, the show had an element of weirdness, like seeing you high-school sweetheart at a reunion.  I was excited, yet oddly apprehensive before the show.  It's exactly the type of show that usually lets you down (no band can be as good as they are in your memories, right?).  The SteelDrivers, however, proved to be the real deal and did not disappoint.  I really need to see them again.  They've got a few shows coming up that sound fun (the Bluegrass Underground and the Station Inn in March, St. Joe's MI in May).  Anyone want to go see them with me?  You should. They are an amazing live band.