Jun 192013
 

Son Volt

The history of the are-they/are-they-not a band Son Volt, led by Jay Farrar, is a microcosm of the travails of the music business when mixed with artistic temperament. Farrar formed Son Volt following the disintegration of Uncle Tupelo, then put Son Volt on hiatus while he released several solo albums, followed by an effort to reunite the original Son Volt, which effort failed. So Farrar and some of Son Volt put together a new version of the band and, since 2005, have been recording and touring. The most recent record is Honky Tonk, released in March. They’ll play it for you live at Headliners on June 23. Opening will be something called Colonel Ford, featuring members of Son Volt. It’ll cost you $18 to see the current version.


Here’s “Hearts And Minds” from Honky Tonk:

Website: www.sonvolt.net/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SonVolt?
Rounder Records posted a stream of the whole album:


Jun 192013
 

Brandi Carlile

Alt.country rock singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile has the top spot on the bill for WFPK’s Walk ‘N’ Stroll at the Iroquois Amphitheater on June 23, with The Lone Bellow opening. Carlile is a WFPK favorite and with a relatively new CD, Bear Creek, to work from, she should provide plenty of entertainment for the walker and stroller. The Lone Bellow is a brand-new group from Brooklyn, with a just released debut album, The Lone Bellow. Tickets to the concert are $30.


Here’s an NPR Tiny Desk Concert with Carlile:

Website: www.brandicarlile.com/?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
More Brandi Carlile tunes: www.last.fm/music/Brandi+Carlile?


Jun 182013
 

Pikeville and Fairdale Kentucky’s Patty Loveless was honored by the Grand Ole Opry for 25 years of membership this past weekend with memorable performances by Loveless, fellow Opry members Vince Gill and Loretta Lynn, and more. Loveless was inducted as an Opry member on June 11, 1988. Here’s a video about the event:

Cybergrass.com has a bit more to the story.


Jun 182013
 

The questions have continued to be asked about how the costs of the KFC Yum! Center will be paid for, inasmuch as the Center itself has not been generating enough revenue, to the point that the City Of Louisville had to pony up the maximum of $9.8, in order for bond holders to be paid. AEG Entertainment claims that revenue from concerts and other events is increasing. The large special Taxing District which surrounds the Center has not generated the revenue projected, but it is claimed that those revenues are increasing as well.
InsiderLouisville.com’s Terry Boyd did some actual reporting about the matter, including talking to Ed Glasscock, authority general counsel, and Jerry Hurt, a director at Louisville-based accounting firm Deming, Malone, Livesay and Ostroff and accountant for the Louisville Arena Authority. He has quite a bit of detail at the story posted last week. The take-away might be that this time last year, Moody’s downgraded the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority’s Louisville Arena Project Revenue Bonds to Ba2 from Baa3 – high risk junk bonds. They’re scheduled to revisit that bond rating shortly.


Jun 182013
 

As if there wasn’t enough to see and hear at Forecastle Fest this year, including the several after-parties, Headliners has added one more “Forecastle Late Show”, titled as The Holy Trinity of Jam feat. Phiasco & The Allmanacs, which pays tribute to Phish, The Allman Brothers Band & The Grateful Dead. It happens on Friday, July 12 and will cost you $5; if you have an FF pass, you get in free.


Jun 182013
 

The Decline Effect, the new group that features The Glasspack‘s “Dirty Dave” Johnson’s vocals; Mark Abromavage (ex-Kinghorse), guitar; Chris Abromavage, bass and drummer Jae Brown, has released a video that offers a preview of the new record coming in August, with a show set for August 3 at The New Vintage. The song is “Serpent To Slay”:


Jun 182013
 

Boney James

Three-time Grammy winner Boney James will tote his saxophone and band into the Louisville Palace on June 23. For an instrumental artist, James has done right well, selling in excess of three million records over his twenty-plus year / 14-album career. His 14th album, The Beat,was released April 9 of this year on Concord Records, so he’s not slowing down. Jazz fanatics might dismiss his music as Kenny G-ish smooth jazz, but no doubt, he cries all the way to the band. Longtime jazz singer Miki Howard will open. Tickets run $29.50-$49.50.


Here’s Boney James on “The Beat”:

Website: www.boneyjames.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/boneyjames


Jun 172013
 

From AL.com: “Saturday’s late-night Rock n’ Soul Dance Party Superjam was billed as featuring My Morning Jacket frontman [and “Curator”] Jim James, Hall & Oates’ John Oates, The Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste, funk bass master Larry Graham and “more.”

Brittany Howard turned out to be part of “more.”

Billy Idol and R. Kelly also put in an appearance. Here’s short (1:49) video of some of “Hot Fun In The Summertime”:


Jun 172013
 

Music writer Syd Bishop reviewed Rat King and Death Grips show at Headliners last Friday; he admitted straight away that even though he has complained about shows not starting on time, he assumed that the show, advertised with a 7 p.m. start time, wouldn’t start on time and so comletely missed the act he wanted to see, Anwar Sadat. He also confessed to being surprised by both Rat King and Death Grips, plus, he left home with hearing protection. As always, Bishop writes interestingly, with any number of oddball asides. Go read it at Never Nervous.