An Enchanted Evening of Bluegrass (Thunderwüde at Johnny's Speakeasy)

Magic Happens at Johnny's Speakeasy...

I've been trying to do a show review for Southeast Michigan's bluegrass "supergroup" Thunderwüde for over a year.  I've seen them a few times, but somehow never remember to bring my camera.  This weekend however, I simply could not pass up the opportunity to see them play in the very best venue around, Johnny's Speakeasy.  For those of you not familiar with this extraordinary and magical place, just watch this.  I have to admit, I'm a bit hesitant to write about the Speakeasy, in the same way a fisherman doesn't like to mention his favorite fishing spot--too much exposure can ruin the ephemeral nature of these special places. While some blue collar bricklayer, his name lost in history, may have built this room and it's vaulted ceiling, and generations of owners have continued to improve and decorate the space, I am convinced that  the tiniest bit of every soul that makes the journey down the steep stairs to Johnny Williams' basement is drawn into the walls magnifying and supporting the magical JuJu that makes this simply the best place to hear live local music in Southeast Michigan, and quiet probably the whole world.

Thunderwüde working the one-mic

What began as an informal Wednesday night bluegrass jam at the Chelsea Alehouse Brewery has grown into a truly unique bluegrass band, Thunderwüde.  Although they boast some high-profile fans, it is the bands musical chops that really set them aside.  Every member of the band is a professional musician playing in multiple bands and side projects and a true master of their instrument(s).  It is a true testament to the talent of this band that they manage to capture all the drive required of  barn-burner bluegrass fiddle tunes without a banjo!  The band plays a great mix of mostly traditional bluegrass standards, with just enough variety drawn from some well known country, folk, swing and jazz standards.  Where they really shine is on their original material.  I'm a big fan of "High Standards" as played here at The Ark a couple years ago. The band takes turn singing the lead vocals and have mastered the art of three-part harmony so well that most of the time it sounds like a single voice coming off the stage and it's impossible to determine who's singing which part.

Dennie and Fritzemeier kick off the show.

Mandolin master Jason Dennie really shines in the band.  With an effortless right hand he alternates between a driving chop and stinging fill riffs with near reckless abandon.  On guitar he is equally versed at traditional flatpicking and fingerstyle leads.  Dennie's talent lies not in playing fast (though he can keep up with the best of them), but rather with his mastery of the melody line.  Whether of mandolin or guitar, his solo breaks really push the boundaries of traditional bluegrass walks, runs and scales venturing into lots of double- and triple-stop passages and jazz-chord infused countermelodies and syncopated counterrhythms.   I find his playing ultimately refreshing and interesting.  He is very personable on stage with a quick smile and "bluegrass voice" counter-persona on stage covering most of the emcee duties.  He is obviously good friends with everyone in the band (and half the people in the audience as well) sharing jokes and running gags throughout the performance.

Fiddle Master Fritzemeier

The standout of the night had to be Wes Fritzemeier.  Beginning the night on the mandolin, he is every bit as good as Dennie on the instrument, with a subtly different, somewhat bluesier approach to his leads and an easy-going lope to his chop--a perfect foil for Dennie's fingerstyle groove.  He instantly wins over the crowd with his warm smile and lighthearted comments from stage.  His vocals are rich and nuanced with just a bit of dirt and grit thrown in for that authentic "mountain" sound.  A few songs into the show he switched to the fiddle.  Though he's been playing for over 20 years, he admits to having been playing more mandolin than fiddle lately.  You would never know it, as his performance this night was one of the greatest fiddle exhibitions I have witnessed.  He pulls an amazing amount of tone out of his instrument, while displaying great mastery of acoustic dynamic--his fiddle lines wash over you like the pounding surf on the Great Lakes in summer; smooth and deceptively powerful at the same time.  With finger-blurring prowess, he somehow adds fiddle fills in between his own melodies.  His playing is so complex and technically perfect that I sometimes swore it had to be two fiddles on stage playing counterpoint to each other.  This guy is a BEAST!

Dennie and Reifel clowning around

Bassman Tommy Reifel forms the backbone of the Thunderwüde sound.  I first ran into him as a member of the Ben Daniels Band when they played the Marquette Area Blues Fest several years ago and was blown away by his work on the upright bass.   Proficient at the "I-V" bluegrass rhythm line, he sits right on the front edge of the beat, driving the band forward and creating a pocket that's impossible to fall out of.  In fact, at the Speakeasy my friend comment that he'd never heard a band stay on beat for the entire show--never falling out of time once, and a bass player who hit every note on time!  Reifel also has a talent for adding a few unexpected runs and solo lines to his playing which keeps it exciting and engaging throughout the show.  He even thew in a cool bass solo break on a fiddle tune--something that you just don't see.

Merkel and the Guitar

While Dennie, Fritzemeier and Reifel have been playing as a trio lately, the show marked the return of long-time guitarist George Merkel.  With him on guitar, Dennie on mandolin and Wes' fiddle, Thunderwüde really takes off; each of them switching easy from pounding rhythm lines to mind-numbing solo breaks with reckless abandon.  Merkel's shy smile disguises his unbelievable flatpicking talent.  He has one of the steadiest and effortless right hands I've seen and a flexible and FAST left hand which combine to give his breaks and easy flow and smooth delivery.  He has a great voice for country-tinged bluegrass ballads--silky smooth, soul-filled and very easy to listen to.   It's obvious I'm going to have to see Thunderwüde again (and again, and again...) and I really need to get out to the Alehouse on a Wednesday night.

I've included some random photos from the show below.  Feel free to use and distribute freely with credit to Semibluegrass.com.  Want to see more like this?  Please subscribe to the blog, or better yet, follow our facebook page (www.facebook.com/SeMiBluegrass).  Visit the page and tag/share the photos there too.

The Waynewood Boys Proudly Present "Sawmill Sally" (A Bluegrass Opera)

The Waynewood Boys Perform "Sawmill Sally"

Six years ago I got bit by the bluegrass bug.  In search of people to pick with I ran a Craigslist ad looking for people who wanted to learn bluegrass and invited them over to my house (the first of what was to become my month SeMiBluegrass jams).  My friend Bill was just learning the Dobro.  Andy, an experienced electric blues guitarist showed up to learn bluegrass rhythm.  Rachel showed up with her ska piano background and a new upright bass.  And a soft-spoken banjo player named Hugh rounded out our first jam.  I've since listened to those tapes.  They're pretty brutal.  However, we have all gone on to find out place in the SeMiBluegrass music scene.  Hugh found his bluegrass muse writing and playing old-time flavored, traditional bluegrass with a local group of musicians.  In a world where pickers band together in pop-up bands that last a couple shows, the Waynewood Boys have managed to not only survive, but have thrived, searching out and playing small, esoteric venues--the kinds of places where creative, artistic and meaningful music is still performed, praised and valued; the places where the audience sings along in perfect harmony; the place where the pulse of live music still beats strongly.

Fader telling the Story of Sally

The Waynewood boys' latest--and most ambitious--work, co-written by  Fader (banjo), Tom Megli (guitar) and Keith Buchannan (bass) is a Bluegrass Opera, "Sawmill Sally".  Consisting of eleven original tunes that, taken together, tell a complex, funny and sometimes tragic story of love. loss and the consequences of rash action in late 19th century Virginia, this "concept album" may have exactly what roots music is missing today--a sense of meaning and purpose.  The band chose to premier their work at the "Live From the Living Room" event at Unity Church of Lake Orion.  This long-running concert series, hosted by local folk-music icon Maggie Ferguson and storyteller extraordinaire "Gypsy" Jack Ferguson is as close to a live taping of "A Prairie Home Companion" you will find.  The night started with a bit of a variety show with some fun covers and poignant original music (and some fine story telling) from Maggie, Jack and friends.  Following was a short set of original music from Sigrid Christensen off her newly released album "Little Vixen".  Her soft, high voice paired perfectly with the poetry of her works, her subtle guitar work and some killer accompaniment on guitar, harmonica and trumpet.

Megli on the High Tenor Vocal

The Waynewood Boys took the stage for the main event.  Clocking in at just over an hour, the songs were interspersed with short pieces of background and insight into the story.  A high quality program was included with story notes, and selected short passages from the lyrics to help guide the listener.  The band obviously enjoys what they do, launching into each song effortlessly and executing them flawlessly.  Eschewing the barn-burner, faster-is-better mentality of many modern bands, the Waynewood boys opt for a more thoughtful and methodical to many of their songs.  The first few numbers definitely have an old-fashioned sound to them and perfectly transport the listener back to late 1900s Virginia and set the mood for the story.  As the performance continues, the band mixes in some other influences including more progressive bluegrass sounds, some acoustic blues and folk, and even a bit of a modern rock vibe.  The band is polished, and easily sinks into the groove laid down on bass by Buchannan.  Megli's Carter-family influenced flatpicking gives the songs a lot of depth and drive, while Fader's banjo contributes both melodically and rhythmically.  Multi-instrumentalist Mike Francis fills out the songs with some tasty mandolin chops and some of the richest, most toneful fiddle work around.

Having some Fun on Stage with The Waynewood Boys

Sawmill Sally is both well-conceived and well-performed.  The story begins with Broken Window Blues where we meet Sally and  learn "don't be deceived by what you see...or what you don't see".  We meet Henry Johnson, love-scarred and driven to success in Virginia, and then follow the ups and downs of his courtship and marriage to Sally in Sally Barlow, For the Rest of Our Lives, and Starving at a Feast.  In the "disarming" song One Arm Jake we meet Jacob, the young, love-struck anti-hero of the story and the tragedy that effects all of them.  These consequences are explored in The Trial of Henry Johnson, Watch Over You and Prison in my Mind.  The story comes to it's tragic ending in Dead on the Ground.  Wrapping up the tale is How Can I Go On, which ends on a sorrow filled lament with just a ray of hope--only to launch into an upbeat chorus from Broken Window Blues bringing the story full circle and the night to an end.  This is a very enjoyable, and refreshing way to experience the finest in bluegras and good, old-fashioned story telling.  I hope the Waynewood boys (and many others) continue bringing this kind of thoughtful, intelligent songwriting to life and sharing it with the vibrant live music scene in SouthEast Michigan.  I will definitely keep going to see stuff like this.  And you should too.

Additional photos from the evening are shared in the Gallery below.  Please feel free to visit the public Facebook gallery and tag the people in the pictures.  You may also freely use and share these images with credit give the SemiBluegrass.com.  Like what you see here?  You can subscribe to this blog, or follow us on Facebook for more live, local music in SouthEast Michigan.

Local Music is Alive and Well in SouthEast Michigan

"Live Life Loud" with PJs Lager House!

One of the great benefits of my "day job" as a teacher is Spring Break--a week to refresh and rejuvenate myself before the final push towards the end of the year; a time to engage in things that make me feel alive; a time to shake off the last vestiges of grey Michigan winter and discover how alive you really are.  For me, my spring break has been about seeking out amazing, vibrant local musicians who bring passion and interest to their performance regardless of the genre.  There is perhaps no more pertinent example of this than this Easter weekend where I managed to squeeze in no less than SEVEN killer bands, in three great venues, and still made it to Easter brunch with my father well rested, reinvigorated and ready to take on the world!

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The weekend started with the Southeast Michigan Bluegrass Music Association's monthly open Jam  at the Kentuckian's of Michigan.  In a "good news/bad news" situation, almost everyone I meet confuses the SEMBA folks with SeMiBluegrass.  Luckily for me, I'm also the Vice President of SEMBA, so I can direct them accordingly.  For the record, SEMBA is an organization dedicated to the "support and promotion of bluegrass music in South East Michigan".  They tend towards traditional bluegrass bands and festivals and preserving the long history of bluegrass in Michigan.  SeMiBluegrass is my blog.  Also located in South East Michigan (hence the "SeMi" in the name) I try to publicize and support bluegrass and other acoustic music in the region (another play on "semi").  You will find plenty of SEMBA events and bands written up on these pages.  SEMBA is a great organization, full of wonderful, talented and passionate people.  If you're even a casual fan of bluegrass music, you should definitely check them out, and consider joining the organization.  Like most bluegrass events, the SEMBA jam, hosted by one or more of the members,  is always open to all, and a great way to get involved in playing music with others, learn some great new tunes, and enjoy the fellowship of other bluegrass fans.  For those not familiar with the Kentuckians, this private social club offers up live bluegrass music on Friday nights (as well as a killer home-cooked dinner if you get there early enough).  On this past Good Friday night, the Ron Bloomfield band offered up some tasty and soulful bluegrass including a Dynamite cover of "30 Years of Farming".  Definitely put the Kentuckians (and the Flat Rock Eagles) on your radar and go catch some live bluegrass!

The Guys in Rickett Pass Gettin' it Done.

As most of you know, I'm also a huge fan of progressive and derivative bluegrass music.  I've been trying to catch Rickett Pass (a band I met--coincidentally--at the Kentuckians) for a long time.  Coming off a brutal tour schedule, I saw that they were booked at PJ's Lager House in Detroit's Corktown Neighborhood (just a few blocks from the old Tiger Stadium).  I'm going to try and do an entire blog about this fantastic music venue someday soon, as it is one of the few remaining places that consistently brings the very best in live music to South East Michigan.  And they do it in style.  Affordable but fare cover charges insure the bands get paid.  A great selection of domestic, import and craft beers.  Surprisingly good food for a small establishment.  Ample parking near the venue, and friendly, helpful security to make sure your vehicle is safe.   And killer acoustics for bands plugged and unplugged alike.  

Songstress/Poet Michelle Held

The  night started off with an unexpected surprise as Detroit area singer/songwriter Michelle Held took the stage.   She is a writer with the great gift of telling heartbreaking and jarring tales in an honest and open delivery.  "Fearless" is what my friend called her performance, and it was eternally fitting of this night.  I've always said it takes great courage to step on a stage to sing and play for strangers.  Harder yet is to sing deeply personal, sometimes uncomfortable songs, while playing guitar and connecting with the audience.  On this night, the pure poetry of her words, perfectly enhanced by the splendid uniqueness of the soprano tremolo in her voice, carried the crowd on a raw and emotional journey and moved them to enthusiastic applause after every song.  She even put melody to a friend's lyrics (poet Hala Dika) in one of the nights most touching moments.  This was everything that pure singer/songwriting is supposed to be about, and it was spectacular. 

Jennifer Westwood

I came to see a bluegrass show and got absolutely run over by a female blues-rocker and a slide playin', chicken pickin', telecaster magician.  Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils could be one of the  best live acts I've seen this year (and maybe ever).  As a vocalist, Jennifer has one of the most powerful and soulful voices you will hear--a perfect match for the blues, soul and southern-rock/country material she performs.  There should not be any way all of that sound, and grit, and feral emotion can come out of someone that small.  She must have some ethereal connection to all the greats that have gone before: Janis Joplin, KoKo Taylor and Grace Slick can all be heard in her voice.  And then there's Dylan Dunbar on guitar.  His tone is unbelievable, and has that magic "Telecaster through a Fender Tube Amp" lusciousness that plays so well in small venues.  He's a phenomenal slide player and one of the best country pickers I've heard.  He also possesses a magical connection to the audience, giving it 100%...and then when the crowd connects...another 50% just to push them over the edge.  Putting these two in front of anything but the very best rhythm section would be a sin.  On this night, Bassist JD Mac and the drummer were so in tune, it sounded like they were playing a single instrument.  There is no doubt in my mind, I'll go see this band again (and probably every time they play somewhere near me).

Giving them their all...and their shirts (Rickett Pass)

Capping the evening was Rickett Pass.  They are exactly what I like in progressive acoustic  bands: rooted in the tradition without being beholden to it.  In fact, this band owes as much to the classic bluegrass bands of the 40s and 50s as it does to the Punk bands of the 70s and 80s.  They are pure entertainers, and their loyal fans will simply not tolerate them giving anything less than all they have, leaving everything on the stage.  I love this band.  Propelled by the less-than-traditional yet more-than-awesome banjo picking, songwriting and singing of Mason Tinsley and the blue note, minor chord vamping mandolin work of Joe Vega, Rickett Pass perfectly translates both punk and bluegrass ethos to fans from their early twenties to late eighties.  Add to that some off-the-hook rockabilly bass antics from Matt Moore and hard working rhythm guitarist Dallas Cooper and you have an eminently danceable, impossible to ignore groove that takes hold of the audience and sweeps them along in a musical frenzy.  This band is so atypically Detroit; so down-and dirty; so blue collar in their work ethic that it's impossible to ignore them and obvious why they have such a passionate and loyal fan base.  Good job boys...keep doing what you do!  

Opening Act on the State-of-the-Art Machine Shop Stage

After far fewer hours of sleep than I needed, and a less-exciting-than-expected movie outing with my daughter, I found myself headed to the Machine Shop in Flint for the Pole Barn Rebels' CD release party.  This concert venue--while catering more towards hard-edged rock and heavy metal--is still a place where you can go see great live "semibluegrass" type acts in a purely professional setting.  Funky industrial/post-appocolyptic decor not withstanding, the joint is easy to find, has ample parking and a very helpful and knowledgeable staff equally versed in helping get the party started and making sure things don't get out of hand.  They also boast one of the greatest merchandising areas in any venue around--with plenty of branded Machine shop merch, and a large area for bands to display and market their wares.  This night started with a cover band (I didn't catch their name) that did a great job warming up the crowd with their renditions of southern and classic rock anthems.  There was some great guitar and harmonica work, and a stunning guest vocal by a sultry, blues/soul singer.

Kenny Kens giving the crowd what they want!

My very favorite musical set of the evening came from Kenny Kens & the Brown Bottle Boys.  It took a wagon load of moxie to play a large venue, opening for a wildly popular local act's CD release party, and make the choice to play 100% original music with a fairly new band. And it paid off--they totally killed it with their set of old-country music supported by the skilled country blues licks of guitarist Brian Coogan, the rockabilly stylings of Steve Wyse on Bass, last-minute steel guitar/keyboardist (yes...he was playing piano with thumb/finger picks...I saw it myself) Kevin Morris, and the perfection of Caco de la Sotta on the kit.  The songs were spot on in their lyrical content, delivery and opportunity to give the band some rein and let them charge onwards.  Kenny is an experienced and likeable front man; easy going on the mic, animated as he moves around stage and smilin' ear-to-ear every single second of the performance.  The crowd loves this band and lets them know it--crowding to the front of the stage and getting the dancing started early.  The Brown Bottle Boys embody everything good about classic roadhouse and honky-tonk country and deliver it--in spades!

PBR and the Pole Barn Rebels.  What an evening!

The night ended with the much anticipated set from Machine Shop regulars and local favorites the Pole Barn Rebels.  From their beginnings as an informal pickup band in (you guessed it)the lead singer's pole barn, this band is pure outlaw country in their songs, their performance and their swagger--both on and off the stage.  Over the past few years they have worked hard to become the most well known outlaw country/party band in the region; delivering that perfect mix of hard-driving, hard-drinking cover songs (heavy on the southern rock and country) with catchy, fan friendly, beer and whisky fueled original tunes that keeps the party going, the beer flowing and club owners happy.  Their secret?  Bad-to-the-bone lead singer?  Check.   Twangy, lightning fingered guitarist?  Check.  Pedal Steel guru? Check.  Blue jeans, black hats and PBR tall boys.  Check, check and check.  The Pole Barn Rebels really are one of the most unique and fun to watch bands in South East Michigan.  Look them up online, buy the CD, and go see a show.  It's a darn good time. 

Included some pictures from the shows in the gallery below.  Feel free to use, distribute, share as you like, with credit to Semibluegrass.com.  Better yet, subscribe to the blog or follow us on FaceBook. 

Live, Local Music with The Corktown Popes CD Release @ the Magic Bag

The Corktown Popes are not your typical Detroit rock band!

I've covered my wife's favorite local band, The Corktown Popes, before.  This eclectic group of veteran Detroit rockers continues to make outstanding music that defies conventional boundaries of Genre.  Sure...they're got an Irish voiced lead singer...but they're a Detroit Rock band, right?...with and accordion, which makes them a Tex/Mex Tejano band, right?...and a mandolin which makes them country/roots band, right?...and uileann pipes (they're NOT bagpipes) and we're back to Irish band?.  Whatever they are, they are tremendous performers and wildly popular, so, with a second album--The Body and the Blood--ready for release, the band booked the Magic Bag in Ferndale, invited some friends to share the stage with them and promptly filled the joint with their loyal fans.  My wife and I met some friends there for an evening of live, local music and had a great time.

The Brunswick Brawlers

First up were the Brunswick Brawlers.  Occupying that delicious zone between jazz and blues where  swing, rockabilly and jump blues thrive, this honky-tonkin' dance band got the crowd up on their feet and dancing. Each member of the band took turns singing their favorite songs, adding complex harmonies and swinging rhythms to each tune.  Smokey jazz songstress Liz Mackinder killed it on 40s and 50s era ballads.  Jazzy guitarist Niko Pittman was equally comfortable singing lead and ripping off unexpected, yet excellent blues leads and fills.  The doghouse bass stylings of Rudy Varner were--of course--a crowd favorite, as was his deep-cut cover of a Johnny Cash tune.  Jarrod Champion on the keys added a little western swing / boogie woogie vibe to the set, as did his rich, lush lead vocals.    Loney Charles was everything a jazz/swing drummer should be--quick, light touch staying in the background, but providing the perfect accent when needed.  At one point in the evening, I was watching him on the brushes.    You knew that crash cymbal hit was coming to end the phrase...but he held off until the last possible millisecond, letting the anticipation grown until, with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, he reached out, cat-quick, for the tiniest little tap on the cymbal, releasing the crowd and starting the process over.  It was perfect.  This was a fun band to watch  and a perfect selection to open the night and get the crowd up and moving.

This is what perfect harmony looks like!

Ryan Dilliaha and the Miraclemen too the stage next for a set of driving, original Downriver Rock.  As blue collar as can be, and with just the tiniest bit of country twang from the superb telecaster for of guitarist Jason T. Portier, this band brought their A-game.  The pulsing and driving rhythm of drummer Jesse Soriano and bassist Chris Diener kept the songs moving along at a crisp pace as keyboardist Jarrod Champion built the energy and excitement.  This background provided the pefect canvas for frontman Dilliaha to paint his songs of Working Class; whiskey fueled adventures and bad decisions; and the never ending pursuit of love, meaningfulness and friendship that makes us who we are.  What truly makes this band is not the musicianship--though it is excellent and Portier's solos are as good as you will find--but rather the stunning two-part hamonies that the band employs.  Dilliaha and Portier sound like they've been singing together since they wore diapers and the truly lush and complex structures of their arrangements are pure joy to listen to. 

All Heart an Soul with Burns and Brown

Of course, everyone was there to see the Corktown Popes.  As drummer Ron Pangborn laid down a groovy beat, the members of the band filed onto stage one-by-one, joining in and laying down the background for a high-voltage cover of David Bowie's Panic in Detroit which saw Popes lead singer Terry Burns joined by Detroit vocal icon Greg C. Brown.   The party kept rolling and the band kept the crowd on their feet with a great mix of original music drawn from their first two albums, and some late 80s/early 90s cover tunes.   All songs are performed at 110% with everyone in the band keeping things rolling.  Mandolin player Steve Taylor  was all over the stage, obviously enjoying his gig as the newest member of the Popes.  There just isn't anyone cooler or more professional on stage than bassist Takashi Iio.  Paul Goodmen continued with his usual outstanding harmony vocals and the accordion/keyboard licks that define the Popes sound.  Jason Kuehn--as always--wears his passion for electric guitar all over his face and didn't disappoint with powerful and cutting fills and solo work on every song.  I really liked his 12-string electric work on "Paint it Black"--somehow able to mimic the classic Stones sound, yet in a totally modern way.  And it just wouldn't be a Popes show without the authentic (yet electrified) sound of "Mighty" Tom Donohue who's inclusion on the uileann pipes gives more than a little credibility the band's Irish roots in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit and likewise is essential in defining their sound.  Even guest musicians Gary "Indiana" Czabot on blues guitar and Johnny Evans on saxophone threw in a little bit extra to make the evening special.  As always, you don't go to a Pope's show, you experience it.  Get out and see some live, local music.  There's plenty of it around here!

Pictures from the show below.  Feel free to use, share and tag freely with credit to SemiBluegrass.com.  Like us on facebook for more great bands and reviews of live, local music in SouthEast Michinga (SeMi).



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Chris Buhalis Releases "Big Car Town" at the Ark

An Impressive and Important Album!

As spring creeps in and Michigan awakens, I have found myself seeking out great live, local music.  In fact, tonight was the fourth show in a fortnight I've attended at The Ark in Ann Arbor--and I saved the best for last!  I'm a huge fan of Ann Arbor singer/songwriter Chris Buhalis' first album "Kenai Dreams" recorded nearly two decades ago.  It featured a perfect mix of well written and intelligent lyrics, creative and talented musicians and songs about things that matter.   Tonight, Chris partnered with his long time musical partner and friend Jeff "Plank" Plankenhorn to introduce the world to his long-anticipated second album, Big Car Town.  The Ark was packed with Chris' family and friends as well as an impressive array of Ann Arbor area musicians.  They were in for a treat as Chris and Plank, backed by an all-star rhythm section of Dominic John Davis on Bass and Michael Shimmin on Drums, gave life to the songs and set them loose on the world.  From the very first note of the very first song (the title track to the album) it was apparent that the crowd was in for a special experience.  As the song says "we shine 'em up and we drive 'em all around".  Even with little-to-no rehearsal, this band of professionals and friends was as tight and in tune with each other as any long-touring ensemble that has graced the Ark's stage.

Chris Buhalis singing from the soul

For those not in the know, one reason this album was so long in the making was an unfortunate accident Chris had at work.  While I know there was a lot of pain, and surgery and therapy during his recovery, you would not know it from Chris' playing--it is as vibrant, poignant and alive as ever.  If anything, the experience seems to have strengthened and renewed him.  This night was definitely a celebration of the joy and healing that music can bring to us all.  He was in a great mood all night, sharing quips and stories between songs and while he tuned his well-loved Gibson guitar. Chris is intelligent, well-educated, and not in the least shy about sharing his opinions.  A great fan of Woody Guthrie, he carries on the tradition of pointing out the humanity in us all and the injustices of the world.  His cover of Woody's Plane Wreck at Los Gatos was one of the most touching and powerful moments of the night.

Jeff Plankenhorn and the "Plank"

There is no doubt that Chris is a capable and talented musician and vocalist, but it is his writing that truly sets him apart from his peers.  A working class poet of the middle class, Buhalis has a keen eye for the truth in everyday life and a gift for creative and thought provoking metaphor.  In describing his father in Daddy Worked the High Steel Chris writes: "When times get tough, as times will do--like a Mickey Lolich fastball riding up and in, to make the count 2 and 2--he always digs back in, that’s all there is to do--he’ll stand for me, and he’d do the same for you".  My favorite, however is near the end of Finish Line (a go-for-broke rocker) where he pens "Well this love, will grab you by the onions--knock you down, sock you square in the dreams."  Half the fun of a Chris Buhalis show is listening to the guys on stage joke with each other, the other half is listening to the lyrics and waiting for these inevitable gems.  Oh yeah....the music's a lot of fun too!  The absolute poetry of The Virgins could be one of the very best examples of thoughtful and meaningful songwriting today.  The album is worth the $15 for this song alone.  With my strong connection to the Upper Peninsula and the North Woods, this song moves me nearly to tears every time I hear it. 

The Affable Dominic John Davis on the Doghouse Bass

With two full sets of music to draw from, Chris broke out some great cover songs.  Mostly from other singer-songwriters that inspired him but also songs from his youth, a Townes Van Zandt tune and even a DEEP cut from Bruce Springsteen.  During the night, Chris played nearly all the tunes from the new album.  I was also glad that he pulled freely from his first album.  I loved Kenai Dreams and it's tribute to the human relationships necessary to survive in wild places, Footprints in the Snow (not the Bill Monroe tune, but an ode to loosing one's self and setting your soul free in the mountains) and especially Highway Shoes, a bluegrass barn burner re-envisioned as a rollicking roadhouse number showcasing Plankenhorns prowess on his custom built slide guitar he calls "The Plank".

Shimmin demonstrating his amazingly light touch on the kit

This unique instrument looked to me like an electric lap steel adapted as a through-body neck for a dobro and fitted with a couple of humbucking pickups (ala a Telecaster Thinline).  Painted Johnny Cash Black with enough chrome to build a Chevy it was a visually stunning instrument.  But that paled in comparison to how it sounded. Plugged into a Fender tube amp and routed through a distortion pedal for a good amount of crunch and reverb; lush, power chords, steel guitar licks, and sweet melody lines flowed from his hands like magic.  Then he added a WahWah pedal to the mix and pulled off some amazing solo work that often had the crowd cheering and clapping.  The fact that he then proceeded to pick up a telecaster blow me away on that instrument is a true testament to his passion for music.   His playing is the perfect complement to Buhalis' songs and it's easy to see why they have remained musical partners--and close friends--over all these years.

The pure sound and soul of a Tele

Jeff also wowed the crowd with a cut off his own solo album "Soul Slide".  A somewhat funky, upbeat and happy song, it ended with Plank repeating the last chorus, and then having the crowd sing it along with him--demonstrating the magic that can still be found in places like the Ark.

I first ran into Chris Buhalis at a demonstration in Lansing where he and Joshua Davis stood on a makeshift stage amidst a throng of hard-working, blue collar workers singing protest songs to keep their spirits high.  The first song I ever heard him sing was, coincidentally, the song he chose to use as an encore on this night: This Land Is Your Land.  Perhaps Woody Guthrie was looking down on this night, and I imagine he was smiling as the crowd sang along with Buhalis, drowning him out on the chorus, and ending with "this land was made for you and me!".  Like Woody's song, I think Chris also made this album for all of us.  To inspire us.  To move us.  To make us think.  And to bring us Joy.  Well done Chris.  Well done.

I've included some additional photos from the evening below.  As always, share, tag and use freely, but credit Semibluegrass.com.  Like us on facebook as well (www.facebook.com/semibluegrass)