Thursday, June 24, 2010

Dynamites feat. Charles Walker, Guggenheim Grotto, Steve Martin, Fly on my martini

I had a really weird thing happen last night.  I was preparing my martini in a shaker and the outside of the shaker developed a nice layer of frost on it from all the ice.  A fly landed on the shaker and, obviously not having seen "Christmas Story", proceeded to get his tongue stuck to the frozen metal of the shaker.  He tried in vain to escape from the shaker but his tongue held fast.  In short time, he froze to death on the shaker.  Froze to death on a 100 degree day.  There is probably a moral to that story but I don't know what it is.  "Don't stick your tongue on a frozen martini shaker"?

Anyway, on to this weekend's shows.  We have our last Friday Cheers this week.  Its $2 to get in, kids 12 & under are free, the show starts at 6:30 with opener Whirlybird, a local band playing the funky, jazzy soul.  I can't say that I had heard of the headliner, The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker, prior to the announcement of the Friday Cheers schedule but what I heard on their web site sounds like they could be a good band to see.  They've got that new funk-soul-R&B sound going on like Amy Winehouse or Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and like SJ & TDK, they have a soul veteran on the vocals in Charles Walker.  Here's what the Cheers said said about them: "Walker deserves his due after decades as an unsung musical hero. He first became a professional entertainer in his native Nashville in the late 1950s, recording with hit producer Ted Jarrett and appearing nightly at the New Era Club, one of the South’s leading black nightclubs. Walker spent most of the 1960s and ‘70s in New York, performing frequently at the Apollo Theater and Small’s Paradise when the original funk scene coalesced. Fronting various bands, including the criminally underrated Little Charles & the Sidewinders, Walker released singles for Chess, Decca, and a number of smaller labels. The records failed to hit the big time but their quality endured and are now prized among collectors. After the recordings gained notice in Europe’s Northern Soul scene, Walker found steady solo work overseas, and he lived in England and Spain before returning to Music City in the 1990s."  Here they are playing in Nashville a few years ago:


By the way, grab yourself a pair of 3D glasses and check THIS out.  I borrowed a red/cyan pair from my kid's SpongeBob 3D book.  This is pretty cool.

The Guggenheim Grotto will be at Ashland Coffee & Tea on Saturday night.  The show starts at 8 PM and tix are $15 in advance, $20 day of show.  Here is what the AC&T web site says about them: "heady mix of pop, folk and soaring melodies around ever present vocal harmonies : “With debts to both Radiohead and The Beatles, this is modern, intelligent, lyrically potent pop.” – The Boston Herald


Over the past three years Mick Lynch and Kevin May of pop/folk act The Guggenheim Grotto have touched U.S. and U.K. audiences in a way the duo couldn’t have imagined. From setting out as Dublin songwriter circuit regulars alongside artists like Damien Rice and Glen Hansard, to building a devoted cult following in the U.S. with warm embraces from media and competitive iTunes charting, the band has captivated audiences and tastemakers on both sides of the pond with its mix of poetic, often literature-inspired lyrics set to timeless, soaring pop melodies."

Here they are performing the title track from their new album, "The Universe Is Laughing":


That's about it for this week.  I'll see you at Friday Cheers tomorrow night.  Try to stay cool.

I'll leave you with this.  By now you may have checked out some of the concert riders with artists demands for their backstage areas on sites like Smoking Gun.  Some of you may also know that Steve Martin, the comedian, is currently touring with bluegrass band, Steep Canyon Rangers, and he/they are apparently quite good.  But Steve's concert rider was leaked today and I've never seen anyone more demanding.  "A tiny Icelandic horse"?  HERE it is if you want to check it out yourself.

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Terence Simien, Arlo Guthrie, Ani DiFranco webcast

A quick blog to update you on Thursday's happenings.  Meant to do a full blog last night but fell asleep while putting my son to bed and didn't wake up until late.

Terrence Simien will be at Jumpin' at the VA Museum of Fine Arts tonight.  Tickets are $14, gates open at 6 and the show starts at 6:30.  No word on if there is an opener but none is listed.  Terence is a master of zydeco (he won a Grammy for Best Zydeco or Cajun Album in 2007) and he apparently brought the weather from New Orleans too.  But at least you know the heat & humidity won't affect him much.  Hell, it will probably make him feel right at home.   Here's Terrance and the band last week:


BTW, I just noticed that YouTube put a little soccer ball icon under the videos.  Pressing it adds the ominpresent (at least if you've been watching the World Cup) sound of the vuvuzelas to the video.  Love it.  Vuvuzelas sounds like something Dr. Seuss made up.

While Arlo Guthrie is not from New Orleans he does sing a song called "City of New Orleans" so perhaps he is responsible for this weather also.  Arlo will be at Groovin' in the Garden tonight at Lewis Giner Botanical Garden tonight.  Doors open at 5:30, show starts at 6 with George Truman opening.  Reserve seats are $50, general admission is $30.  Arlo is a master storyteller, both spoken and in song.  Here's Arlo up in NYC recently with a story and then "Coming Into Los Angeles":


Also, tonight, if you want to stay at home in your AC, Ani DiFranco will be doing a webcast of her show at 11 PM at http://creativeallies.com/.

We'll be back tonight with the weekend happenings.

Tony Jordan

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Phish in Portsmouth review, Deer Tick, Buckwheat Zydeco, Earth, Wind & Fire

The Phish show in Portsmouth on Tuesday, 6/15, was splendid with the band firing on all cylinders.  The nTelos Pavilion is a great place to see a show, only holding 6500.  We started the show on the "lawn" which is a narrow strip of grass at the back of the amphitheater, maybe 15 rows deep.  The breeze was coming in nicely off of the river, cooling things down.  With the cool grass between our toes, the band started with a request shouted out by someone in the audience of "Tube".  This went into the boogie of "Kill Devil Falls" and then the prog-rock-ish "Slave to the Traffic Light" for a nice 1-2-3 punch to open the show. 

Keyboardist Page McConnell chilled everyone out (in a good way) with his lounge lizard song, "Lawn Boy", stepping out from behind the piano to croon.  "Poor Heart" was next bringing us some country boogie-woogie.  Next was fan favorite, "AC/DC Bag", then the "Moma Dance" which, with its lyrics about sailing, was an appropriate song for a venue next to a marina.  "Moma" also provided some nice funky dancing.  "My Friend, My Friend" built up to a nice climax and then the band debuted their cover of Tom Waits' "Cold Water".  That was a bluesy number which was kind of a break from the intensity of the last three songs.  Another fan singalong fav, "Bathtub Gin" was next and then they closed the first set with a powerful version of "Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan" with Trey Anastasio wailing on guitar and left the whole crowd singing the chorus "Got a blank space where my mind should be" well into the intermission.


As intermission ended, I found myself with some friends waiting in line (which were not long at all) for drinks so I missed the beginning of "Wilson" but could hear it fairly well.  About halfway into the song, we entered via the closest entrance back into the amphithater and found ourselves at the back of the standing section on the floor.  Not a bad space to be and I would stay there most of the second set.  "Wilson" led into "Seven Below" into "46 Days" and at this point all was a dancing blur as the light show was incredible as usual and the band was burning.  Another new song, this one an original, "Idea", was next.  That was played somewhat tentatively and never really gelled but may have some potential down the road.

Next was the dance/funk/lights mania that is their disco-fied cover of "Also Sprach Zarathrustra" aka "2001 Theme". 


That led into the rockin' singalong of "Simple" which made me smile because its one of the Phish songs my kids have on one of the mix CDs I made for them.  Next was what I felt was the highlight of the second set, "Taste" which found the band really locking in and reaching the height of "group mind" playing, everyone playing in perfect sync and hitting everything just right.  They closed the set with the psychedelic combo of the lush "Theme From the Bottom" featuring excellent bass work from Mike Gordon who was on all night....


That went into a killer cover of The Beatles' "A Day In The Life".


For the encore, they came out with the pleasant song "Heavy Things" but "Heavy Things" seemed a little light to end such a great show with and everyone knen it.  And they didn't disappoint.  They built the show to an amazing funky driving rocking climax with "First Tube", with the band and the lights driving everyone into an absolute frenzy and Trey ending the night with guitar raised overhead, wringing every last ounce of feedback out of the night.  A great venue and a great show from a band that seems absolutely energized right now.


Now that I've got you all excited about Phish, a reminder that I have 4 lawn seats for the Sunday, 6/27, Merriweather Post show available.  I'm selling them for the list price of $50 or best offer.  If you live in the Richmond area, I will deliver them personally.  If you are interested, you can contact me by leaving a comment below.

And the local press even had some good things to say about Phish and all of us Phish heads:


Onto this weekend's Richmond shows.

Friday Cheers features Deer Tick, which sounds like some kind of heavy metal band, but is, per the Venture Richmond site, "a combination of folk, blues, and country with a strong grunge influence".  You can take a listen yourself on their MySpace page.  Entry fee is just $2 and the show starts at 6:30 PM with opener Former Champions.  I think I'll be going so if you want to join me, let me know. Here's the band on Letterman last night:


If you want to get your zydeco on, check out the great Buckwheat Zydeco at the Capital Ale House Downtown Friday night.  The show starts at 10 PM and its $20 to get in. Buckwheat puts on a fun show. Here's Buckwheat and band this Feburary:


Classic funk masters Earth, Wind & Fire come to Innsbrook on Wednesday night.  Tix are $21 in advance, $25 at the gate, Gold Circle seats are sold out.  Gates open at 6, and EWF comes on at 7.  There is no opener.  Here they are back in the day doing their classic "September":


Innsbrook announced a great show today, The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue 2010 Featuring Michael McDonald, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) and Boz Scaggs on Sunday August 29.  Tickets go on sale Friday, June 18 at 10 AM.  This lineup is very similar to the NY Rock & Soul Review which was an excellent show (and live album) I saw back in the early 90's with those three, Walter Becker (Steely Dan) and Phoebe Snow.  At that show, the players just took turns playing each others songs and backing each other up and it was phenomenal. 

Finally, Tift Merritt will be at Ashland Coffee & Tea on Tuesday night.  Show starts at 8 and tix are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.  Her new album "See You on the Moon" is getting great reviews (a score of 75 on MetaCritic).  Tift plays alt-country similar to Sheryl Crow, Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams, or Emmylou Harris.  Here's the video for her new song, "Mixtape":


That's it. Have a great weekend and I'll see you at Friday Cheers!

Tony Jordan

Zappa Plays Zappa tonight @ Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

Just a quick note to remind you that Zappa Plays Zappa will be playing tonight at Groovin' In the Garden at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.  Tix are $25 for GA, $35 for Reserved.  Doors open at 5:30, show starts at 6 PM with an opener to be announced.    If you like Frank Zappa's music or have ever been curious, Frank's son Dweezil, an amazing guitar player in his own right, and his band play Frank's music brilliantly, staying true to the music while giving themselves room for some improvisation.  I would be going myself tonight but for the Phish show I went to on Tuesday (more on that in the blog coming tonight).

Here they are playing two days ago in Vancouver.  Its the encore, "Peaches En Regalia" and then my kid's favorite Zappa song, "Muffin Man".  No kidding.  I started singing "Muffin Man" to them when they would eat muffins and then they started singing it and then they had me put it on one of the mix CDs I make for them.


More tonight on what's up for the weekend!

Tony Jordan

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Schedule for YouTube Bonnaroo webcast

Here is the schedule for the YouTube webcast of Bonnaroo:

Friday, June 11th




Julia Nunes - 12: 15 pm - 1:15 pm

Neon Indian - 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm

Carolina Chocolate Drops - 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm

The Temper Trap - 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm

The Dodos - 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Damian Marley & Nas- 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Mayer Hawtorne and the Country - 5:30 pm - 5:45 pm

The National - 5:45 pm - 7:15 pm

Tori Amos - 7:15 pm - 8:00 pm

Michael Franti & Spearhead - 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Tenacious D - 9:30 pm - 11:00 pm



Saturday, June 12th



Punch Brothers ft. Chris Thile - 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Gaslight Anthem - 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Norah Jones - 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Trombone Shorty - 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Mumford & Sons - 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

The Dead Weather - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Umphrey's McGee - 7:30 pm - 7:55 pm

Jimmy Cliff - 7:55 pm - 9:25 pm

LCD Soundsystem - 9:25 pm - 10:55 pm

Kings of Leon - 10:55 pm - 11:30 pm

Jay -Z - 11:30 pm - 1:30 am



Sunday, June 13th



The Avett Brothers - 12:30 pm 1:45 pm

John Butler Trio - 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm

Regina Spektor - 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

John Fogerty - 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Weezer - 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Zac Brown Band - 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Ween - 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Rise Against - 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Dave Matthews Band - 9:00 pm - 11:30 pm

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Marcia Ball, Emmitt-Nershi Band, World Beer Fest, Skydog, Josh Ritter, Bonnaroo webcasts

Writing a little early this week since I'll be watching the Flyers tomorrow night, hoping that we can somehow win just two more games and bring the Cup back to Philly for the first time in 35 years.

Thursday night at Jumpin' at the VA Museum of Fine Art, Marcia Ball will play.  Marcia plays a mean New Orleans style piano and is a great blues singer.  Marcia is a four-time Grammy nominee including her last three albums, and a winner of eight Blues Music Awards.  I've seen her a few times and she puts on a fun show.  Gates open at 6 PM, music starts around 6:30. tix are $14 ($12 for members of VMFA).  Children 6 & under are free.  Here's Marcia and her band at The Granada in Dallas last month:


Also on Thursday, Josh Ritter and Mason Jennings will play at Groovin' in the Garden in Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  Doors open at 5:30pm, music begins at 6pm, all ages are welcome, 10 and under are free.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show.  You'll like these guys if you like Dylan, Cash, Leonard Cohen, Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, Elvis Costello, Ryan Adams and all those Americana singer-songwriter types. You must just check out this video for Josh's song, "The Curse".  The video was directed by Liam Hurley, the drummer from Josh's band, The Royal City Band.  Its a simple love story about the love between an archaeologist and her mummy.


Friday Cheers on Brown's Island brings us some bluegrass influenced jam music with Emmitt-Nershi Band.  Cheers is $2 to get in for everyone 13 and older.  The show will start at 6:30 with opener A Good Natured Riot.  Here's what the Cheers site says about Emmitt-Nershi Band:
"With Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon) on mandolin & vocals and Bill Nershi (the String Cheese Incident) on acoustic guitar and vocals, ENB delivers a dynamic blend of bluegrass, newgrass, country and Americana that is sure to excite fans of all those genres and more. Featuring special guests Jason Carter (Del McCoury Band), Keith Moseley (String Cheese Incident) and others!"  Here they are performing their song "Restless Wind" in Vail CO in Feburary this year:


Also on Friday, that little festival in Manchester TN, Bonnaroo, gets started with Dave Matthews Band • Kings of Leon • Stevie Wonder • Jay-Z • Conan O'Brien • Tenacious D • Weezer • The Flaming Lips performing Dark Side of the Moon featuring Stardeath and White Dwarfs • The Dead Weather • Damian Marley & Nas • Phoenix • Norah Jones • Michael Franti & Spearhead • John Fogerty • Regina Spektor • Jimmy Cliff • LCD Soundsystem • The Avett Brothers • Thievery Corporation • Rise Against • Tori Amos • The National • Zac Brown Band • Les Claypool • John Prine • The Black Keys • Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers • Jeff Beck and many more.  There will be two places to go on the Internet for coverage.  YouTube will be webcasting HERE.  NPR will be webcasting (audio only) HERE.  NPR will be going from 1 PM to 3AM Friday through Sunday.  YouTube hasn't posted their schedule yet but figure about the same as NPR.  Either way, there is sure to be a lot of great music from the 'roo this weekend.

Saturday on Brown's Island will be the World Beer Festival.  This is run by some serious beer folks.  There are two sessions, one from noon - 4 PM and then one from 6 PM - 10 PM.  Tix are $40 per session in advance, $50 day of event.  Ticket price includes festival program, one tasting cup and beer samples from over 80 world-class breweries.  Note that kids 12 and under are admitted free with an adult but no one between 13 - 20 will be admitted.  Live music will be provided by some pretty good local bands:
12-2pm: Barrelhouse Blues Band
2-4pm: The Atkinsons
6-8pm: Horsehead
8-10pm: The Dirty Truth

At the Capital Ale House Downtown on Saturday night, PINK JAMS presents an evening with Louisiana Territory & Gills and Wings doing a benefit for breast cancer.  Show starts at 9:00pm.  Tix are $10 advance and limited tickets may be available at door .

Also Saturday, Allman Brothers tribute band Skydog will be at Cary St. Cafe.  Skydog will start at 10 PM and there is a $7 cover charge. 

If you can't catch Skydog on Saturday night, bring the whole family down to Forest Hill Park on Sunday evening.  They'll be doing a FREE show from 5 PM - 8 PM. 

On Saturday, you've also got The Hotdamns playing at Wonderland.  There is a $5 cover at the door which goes to benefit the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.  Doors open at 8 PM and show starts at 10 PM with openers Gina Dalmas (Norfolk VA), Kelley & The Cowboys (Mount Airy, NC) and The Ones To Blame (Gainesville FL).

That's all I got.  Have a great weekend!  GO FLYERS!  I'll leave you with some vintage Stones (can't embed it.  Go HERE.)

Tony Jordan

Friday, June 4, 2010

Mountain Jam webcast starts at 12:45 today

iClips.net updated their webcast schedule so it starts at 12:45 PM Friday.  Click HERE to watch.  Here is the updated line-up for Friday:
Gandalf Murphy and SCD - 12:45

Elmwood - 1:30
The Whigs - 2:15
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - 3:00
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - 4:00
Dr. Dog - 5:30
The Avett Brothers - 6:45
Toots & The Maytals - 8:15
Gov't Mule - 9:00
Les Claypool - 1:00

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Barenaked Ladies, Wailers, Brandi Carlile, Doors

Friday Cheers should be a funky good time this week with Karl Denson's Tiny Universe headlining and DJ Williams Projekt opening.  Show starts at 6:30 PM and there is a $2 entry fee.  Here's what the Cheers site had to say about Karl Denson's Tiny Universe: "From a pressure cooker of rhythm, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe brings forth the most delicious variety of grooves ever sampled by a listener’s feet. Led by Karl Denson, who over the past 15 years has collaborated with such luminaries as Lenny Kravitz and The Greyboy Allstars, the Tiny Universe creates a dynamic sound that defies categorization. The band members, Denson on vocals, tenor and alto sax and flute, guitarist Brian Jordan, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboard player David Veith, trumpet player Chris Littlefield and drummer John Staten, have earned a reputation as kings of the unstoppable all-night show."  I just know that he gets a good groove going and you can dance to it and if you like Maceo Parker, P-Funk, or James Brown, you'll like KDTU.  Here's KDTU in Bloomington IN last year:


Out at Innsbrook on Friday night, Barenaked Ladies will bring their humorous pop to town.  Should be a fun show.  Gates open at 6, opener Serena Ryder comes on at 6:30 and the Ladies come on at 8.  Tix are $22 in advance and $25 at the gate and if you buy your ticket online, you'll also get a free download of the Ladies new album, "All In Good Time".  Here's the video for their latest single, "You Run Away":


The Mountain Jam festival from Hunter NY will be webcast live and for FREE on iclips.net.  This looks like a pretty good one.  Here is the webcast schedule.  I think the Levon Helm & Friends show that closes the webcast is a must-see.  Take a look at that lineup.

FRIDAY

3:00 - Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
4:00 - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
5:30 - Dr. Dog
6:45 - The Avett Brothers
8:15 - Toots & The Maytals
9:00 - Gov't Mule
1:00 - Les Claypool

SATURDAY

4:15 - Yonder Mountain String Band
5:30 - Dave Mason
6:45 - Lettuce
7:30 - Elmwood
7:45 - Drive-By Truckers
9:00 - Gov't Mule
1:00 - Dark Star Orchestra

SUNDAY

2:30 - Michael Franti & Spearhead
4:00 - Matisyahu
5:15 - ALO
6:15 - The Whigs
7:00 - The Bridge
7:30 - Levon Helm & Friends: Warren Haynes, Donald Fagen, Ray LaMontagne, Sam Bush, Steve Earle, Patterson & David Hood, Jackie Greene, Allison Moorer and more!

Saturday out at Innsbrook, smoke 'em if you got 'em (just not at Innsbrook because you'll get thrown out) because The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson & Junior Marvin will bring the reggae to town.  Gates open at 6, tix are $12.50 in advance and $15 at the gate.  There is no opener listed on the Innsbrook site.  Here they are doing "Buffalo Soldier" a couple weeks ago in FL:


On Sunday on the 100 - 300 blocks of E Broad St in downtown Richmond will be the Broad Appetit festival.  "Admission to this foodie paradise is free and for just $3 per sample, the public can taste signature dishes from over 50+ of Richmond’s finest local restaurants, including fine dining, family-friendly, trendy and up-and-coming establishments. From 11 until 5 p.m. the 100-200-300 blocks of West Broad Street will serve up outstanding prepared food in addition to fresh Virginia produce, meats, cheeses, herbs, artisan breads and confections straight from local organic farms and specialty food providers. The event also will feature several of Virginia’s finest wineries and plenty of brews. In 2008, the event's inaugural year, we enjoyed a crowd of 7500 folks and last year the crowd of food-lovers grew to 18,000. We expect 25,000 to attend the 2010 festival."  There will also be some local bands providing the music but the real attraction here is the food.

Sunday night, Brandi Carlile brings her folk rock to The National.  Tix are $20, doors open at 7, show starts at 8, with openers Vienna Teng and Alex Wong.  There are reserved seats available for this show.  You'll like Brandi if you like Melissa Etheridge, KT Tunstall, Jeff Buckley, Sarah McLachlan or Indigo Girls.  Here's her latest single, "Dying Day":


Monday at The National, two of the three surviving members of The Doors, Ray Manzarek & Robbie Krieger, come in playing all original music.  Well, not really, and not surprisingly they'll be playing all the hits of The Doors.  Tix are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.  Doors (that's the venue doors) open at 7 PM and the show starts at 8 PM.  As of the time I'm writing this, Jim Morrison will not be able to make the show.  Some dude named Miljenko Matijevic will be the singer.  Here they are doing "Riders On The Storm" two days ago in NYC:


That's all for this weekend.  I'll be at home watching the Mountain Jam fest this weekend because my back is still killing me so I won't be able to hit up Friday Cheers.  Too bad because it will be a good one.  If you go, let me know how it is.

I'll leave you with the Psychedelic Furs doing "Love My Way".  Why?  Because its a damn fine song.


Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

moe., Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Alejandro Escovedo, Del McCoury Band

I need to finish this before the muscle relaxants and Jim Beam Black take effect.  I threw my back out picking up my 2 year old just before the moe. show at Plan 9 this evening.  I hung in there for 45 minutes before we had to leave because I was in pain.  My son had a good time, watching the drummers, playing air guitar and dancing.  So it was successful over all.  Hopefully, I'll be OK to hit the moe. show at Innsbrook on Wednesday.

moe. is playing at Innsbrook on Wednesday.  Gates will open at 5:30.  The show starts at 6:15 with opener Yonder Mountain String Band, who put on a nice show at the Summer Camp Festival this past weekend which I watched on the web cast.  moe. will come on around 8.  Tix are $20 and there is no gold circle (yay!).  When moe. headlined at Innsbrook two years ago, they must have extended curfew as they played two sets and went until 11 PM.  Let's hope they do that again. 

For those of you who don't know moe., they are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.  I've been seeing them for 12 years now and they are, in my opinion, the best jam band of the last 10 years.  The guitar duo of Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier was named in Rolling Stone's top 40 new guitarists issue a few years ago.  The band will play Allman Brothers style dual guitar blues, ambient space rock and thrash punk equally well and sometimes within the same song/jam.  If anyone is planning on going tomorrow night, let me know.  My "date" has been whipped into working on his house tomorrow and bagged out on my tonight, so I guess I'm flying solo tomorrow, at least as of now.

If you want to check out some moe., HERE is a link to the video archive from their festival, moedown 9 in 2008.  You'll have 6 full sets of moe. to choose from, courtesy of iclips.net.

Thursday there is a whole bunch of Americana in town. 

Patty Griffin will play with Buddy Miller at Groovin' in the Garden on Thursday which is back in Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens for the rest of the summer.  Doors open at 5:30, show starts at 6 with Buddy Miller.  Tix are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate.  Patty was nominated by the Americana Honors & Awards Show this year for artist of the year and her album, Downtown Church, was nominated for album of the year. Buddy Miller, who produced Downtown Church, was also nominated for instrumentalist of the year.  Here's Patty & Buddy in Vancouver last month:


Roots rocker Alejandro Escovedo and his band, The Sensitive Boys, play as part of the Jumpin' series at the VA Museum of Fine Arts on Thursday.  Tix are $14.  Gates open at 6, music starts at 6:30 and there is no opener listed.  You'll like Alejandro if you like Bruce Springsteen, Los Lobos, The Flatlanders, Dave Alvin, Gram Parsons, The Byrds or Townes Van Zandt.  Speaking of Bruce, HERE'S Bruce and Alejandro doing one one of Alejandro's songs, "Always a Friend".  Once you click the link, give it a minute for the video to appear.

Also on Thursday, bluegrass greats Del McCoury Band come to The National.  Tix are $20.  Doors open at 7, show starts at 8 with openers God Fearing Snake Handlers.  Here's the Del McCoury Band playing with a bunch of friends including David Grisman at their DelFest festival in May:


That's it for tonight. I'll see you at moe. (hopefully) tomorrow. Next blog on Thursday with all the weekend happenings.

Tony Jordan

moe. Live @ Plan 9 today at 5:30

moe. will be doing a few songs live and then signing CDs purchased from Plan 9 at Plan 9 in Carytown starting today at 5:30.  See you there.