Show Review: Yellow Barn Benefit Concert

Hard to find....but worth the effort!

Somehow, I always knew about the Yellow Barn (http://www.ouryellowbarn.com), but it somehow stayed off my musical radar.  As Ann Arbor's "home for Community Supported Culture", this quirky venue is home to some of the best in live music Ann Arbor has to offer.  So, when a Facebook friend sent me an invite to the Yellow Barn Benefit Concert last Sunday night, I decided it was finally time to show up and see what all the buzz was about.  An impressive lineup of Ann Arbor based musicians helped seal the deal.  I forgot to bring a pencil, so I'm relying on my memory for the review below.  I apologize in advance for any misspellings, omissions or miss-identifications.

The One and Only Alicia Marie

The show kicked off with one of my favorite young blues pickers, Alicia Marie.  Fresh off an appearance at the Detroit Blues Challenge, Alicia once again blew me away with her hard-driving acoustic blues.  A great mix of blues standards and original material keep her show moving right along.  Her soulful voice was perfectly suited to the intimate setting at the yellow barn and certainly added a depth and complexity to her performance.  Later, I saw her sitting and chatting with fellow Ann Arbor blues woman Shari Kane.  Hmmm...now THAT'S a double bill I'd love to see!

Johnny Williams

Next up was Johnny Williams of Johnny's Speakeasy (another Ann Arbor gem that has evaded my music radar--I'll have to do something about that).  With an impressive band drawn from some of the other acts, Johnny's affable charm and quick smile quickly won over the crowd during a quick set of poignant cover tunes and witty original numbers.  His easy harmony with event sponsor Judy Banker were pure bliss.

The Bowdish Brothers

I'd never heard of the Bowdish Brothers before this show, which is remarkable: 1) because they've been around Ann Arbor as long as I have and 2) because they are an excellent band!  Again, a mix of cool covers and original materials, I loved the jazzy guitar solo's one so rarely hears at an acoustic event.  Also some of the best "brother harmony" I've heard (especially from non-brothers).  This band provided one of the memorable moments of the evening, taking time to not only thank Judy and the others who put the event together, but pointing out how important--even essential--spaces like the Yellow Barn are.  Without places like this, there would be nowhere for musicians to gather; no place to share our passion for music; no place to freely exchange ideas...and feelings...and emotions.  They reminded us all to support local, live music.  If we don't, we will lose much more than just another local business.

Judy and her All Star Band

Somehow, between organizing this amazing event, and talking one-on-one to literally everyone in attendance, Judy Banker somehow found time to get up on stage and share some songs of her own.  Backed by Tony Pace on Dobro, David Roof on bass, her band really brought the songs to life.  However, the vocal harmonies and fiddle licks of Greta Mae Barnard were transcendent, filling the barn with lush, rich sounds and entrancing the audience.  This was a special performance for sure.

Michigan Treasure Jay Strielstra

Most of the band stayed on stage for the next performer, legendary Michigan songsmith Jay Stielstra.  It is truly a treat to see Jay perform.  His songs all capture the special pride Michiganders feel for their beloved state.  His songs drip with imagery of nature, fishing and hunting with mentions of pure Michigan landmarks like the Manistee and Tittatbawassee rivers.  The crowd gleefully sang along on the choruses, sometimes nearly drowning out the band.  Tony Pace's work on the dobro was simply perfect, even causing Jay to say "let's here that one again!"

  At one point during the set, Jay momentarily stumbled on the lyrics to a verse, and a couple of the young performers in the back of of the room, piped up and sang the first few bars to him--a touching tribute to his influence on thousands of young performers over the years. 

David Roof Trio

After a brief intermission, David Roof put down the bass and picked up a guitar to perform a quick set of his own original material.  With a groovy bass line and funky rhythm provided by the cajon, these enthusiastic world-rhythm inspired folk-rock songs were refreshingly original, bringing to mind a young Paul McCartney or Paul Simon.  All three members of the band were smiling ear to ear and visibly enjoying themselves...and the crowd was loving it too!

Billy King (More Banjo!)

Next up was Billy King, musician and organizer of Hollerfest each year.  This multi-instrumentalist began the night with an upbeat number featuring his oh-so-cool tenor voice over a rapid-fire, rhythmic guitar strum style that was fresh and remarkably enticing.  He followed up with a quirky cover tune on the 5-string and closed things out with a cool ode to Autumn on the mandolin.  It was patently obvious that he was having just as much fun as the audience was.

Buhalis and Dennie.  Pure Perfection.

Taking the stage next was one of my favorite performers, Chris Buhalis with accompaniment from mandolin master Jason Dennie.  These two cornerstones of the South East Michigan acoustic music scene combined for one of the very best sets I've seen this year.  Chris' haunting vocals combine with Jason's tasteful fills and licks to transport the listener to places of joy and sorrow; tragedy and triumph; love and hate and compassion and all the emotions in between.  Their cover of Woody Guthrie's "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos", framed by the state of immigration and world conflict dominating the news today served as a poignant remider to remember that there are people behind the headlines; people with names; people we should care about.

Closing Out the Night

Closing out the night were Annie & Rod Capps.  With a great band behind them, they kicked things off with a great, upbeat number.  I wish I could have stayed for the end, but...being a school night...I needed to take off and get home.  However, the Yellow Barn has touched a special place in my musical heart and I'll be back.  Soon.  And often!

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!