HAPCast Episode 1 The Tip of the Iceburg

The HAPCast is the new podcast from Handpicked Artists Presents. In the first episode, the host, Erin Drello, dives right in to the local Athens music scene. John Strickland from Lullwater talks about 90's grunge and why making their new album in Seattle was so cool. The Woodgrains debut a track from their new album and discuss their show coming up with Lullwater at the 40Watt Theatre on Nov 23. Brad Lauretti from The Frontier Needs Heros out of Jacksonville,Fla stops by and lays down a track. Last but definately not least Todd White of the Wonderful Whites of Watkinsville sits down to talk about this years Turkey Ramble and the dirty pranks of Jay Rodgers. We will be giving away concert tickets and so much more. So tune in and enjoy the ride.

http://hapcast.podbean.com/2013/11/15/hapcast-episode-1-the-tip-of-the-iceburg/

No More Buffalo

                The last few nights I have been turning off the tube a little early and falling asleep with my headphones in.  As usual the music I listen to jumps from artist to artist, but it all does the same trick in the dark, taking my worries of the day from my over active mind and off I fade into the black.  Tonight, I saw a picture from a honky tonk sign in Luckenbach, Texas, with James McMurtry playing tonight and Billy Joe Shaver playing tomorrow night.  Immediately, I did just like I have every other night this week, turned off the television and put on my head phones and let Mr. McMurtry roar.  Instead of drifting off to sleep like the other nights this week, my mind went on a rampage, twisting and turning about the state of music today. With Lou Reed’s passing, Katie Perry being number one on the charts, and somehow thinking that this is all evident in my little city of Athens, Ga. Having been watching people here unwilling to pay a cover for live music with venues falling in stride, and “hickhop” videos becoming a mainstay of conversation, tonight this old rock n roll lover is having to dig deep to remember why I got into this business in the first place… Well, not really. My friend and musician, Grant Mitchell, put it straight the other day.  He said “Erin, we do what we do because we love it.”

                I have been writing about a few different subjects on a regular basis over the last few years.  However, this concept of an open and honest commentary about the music around me has been in existence for less than a year.  Since then, I have returned to the birthplace of my love for live music, and shortly after my arrival back in Athens, I teamed up with a couple of well-seasoned, highly talented, local musicians and started a booking agency.  I am convinced that the music here and in nearby southern states, being created by small, mostly unknown independent musicians is as good as music has ever been.  This was the driving force in my decision to jump further into what some folks might call the cesspool of the music business.   What would happen to these wonderful songs, if they cannot ever make it around our great nation, bouncing from stage to stage, saving those souls warn from the stress of the human existence as they once saved me? They will get bypassed by a DJ with an I pad and a pocket full of opiates, and old dogs like me will have to find another way to spend our weekend nights and that won’t be good.

                 I have had James McMurtry on shuffle for an hour or so now and “No More Buffalo” has played a couple of times.   It is to me a song about growing older, life’s adventures running out, and no more rock n roll as we know it.   Well I am getting older, the adventures are still around but with a different face and rock n roll is alive and well.  My friend was right; we do what we do because we love it. And as long as that love for that sweet music stays in my heart, I will fight the good fight to keep it alive.  After all, I owe her so much more.  Rock n roll has been the best girl I have ever known and I would be lost without her.

GO SEE LIVE MUSIC

dangfly! The Getaway LIVE at Nowhere Bar SKYFEST 2013

cactusgrass by Scott Low (of efren) official video!

'Stuck in the Country' Offical Music Video by Scott Low

From his album, The Stories I Shouldn’t Tell, Scott Low presents the music video “Stuck in the Country”.

Filmed and edited by Jay Braver (www.JayBraver.com), the video was filmed at the Historic Village at Hurricane Shoals State Park in Maysville, Georgia.

The Stories I Shouldn’t Tell includes 14 tracks recorded over the last two years, available on Amazonand iTunes.

Bio:

Scott Low currently leads the band Efren, as well as penning his own southern folk songs. He has been writing and playing songs a long time and has dabbled in many genres: punk, jazz, bluegrass, rock, blues, folk, Americana, country, not in that order. Playing hundreds of stages and rooms, the song has lead the way.

Chasing the melody and pushing thru stories and odd analogies, after bouts of lead guitar ego bubbles, Scott decided to start singing and reconnecting with the American song, verse, chorus repeat, maybe a bridge. Writing about our lives, the ones we love and especially the ones we don’t. Scott Low sings songs of loss, love, drinking, and rumors of peace. Scott Low comes from Athens, GA; which is the home of intense creativity and true American art and music. Scott has returned to writing and singing. He lives to play the guitar and listen to Townes, Dylan, Ben Nichols, Hank, Cash, Tweedy and Willie. Divorce and children mixed with dirt roads, friends and Georgia hills are all blended in to create his sound… A couple hundred shows, four albums, and intimate views on many songs, a solo stage has called Scott to tell these stories. In just under two and a half years the stories and harmonies from the quartet of albums pushed our ability and perspective. While Efren will never die, Scott Low has a separate agenda, a dark road that must be traversed alone.

Now wrapping up a full length solo album of folk southern Americana songs, Scott pushes ahead. Love has been found, but scars don’t heal too easy in the back country. The humidity of the South radiates tell intriguing tales (probably more than just the humidity).

“As the main man in Athens, Ga.-based Americana band Efren, Low currently stands out as one of the Peach State’s potentially great up-and-coming songwriters.”
– T. Ballard Lesemann, Charleston City Paper (Jun 27, 2012)

Tour of Duty

Since Jason Isbell’s newest album Southeastern was released earlier this year, it has been a mainstay in my daily musical rotation.  It is safe to say I have listened to Southeastern more than I have not since its release.  This year I have been lucky enough to have more than one album speak to me and seem relevant with my current place in life.  I have been a fan of Jason’s for several years and I have been following his solo career pretty closely, especially, as of late, with his new lease on life found in his relief from his battle with alcohol and substance abuse.  Like Jason, I have had my own battles with drugs and alcohol and we are on a pretty close timeline in our journey into sobriety. His new album resonates loud with the struggles of the past, bad mistakes, lost love, and redemption.  All emotions and experiences I know too well.  Southeastern and Jason’s show last night at the Georgia Theatre are testaments to the fact that people can change, despite the pain, and come back better than ever. 

I have wanted to do a piece on Mr. Isbell for some time now, but I have been holding off for the right time and it has finally arrived.  Last night’s show at the Georgia Theatre was pretty special for a few reasons.  I had an extra ticket and was able to give it to a buddy of mine who is a big fan; one that despite all the concerts he has seen over the years has never been to the famous Georgia Theatre.  A trip to the GATH is a must for any true music fan, but when it is one of your favorite musicians, it makes it that much better.  Watching my friend shake his fist and sing along to Jason’s mighty voice and doing some rocking of my own with a few amazing new friends encapsulated everything that is great about a true rock n roll experience.

Flying over Water, from the new album started everything off.  This is one of my favorites to sing along to, showing Jason’s strength not only as a guitar player but as a singer as well.  With this we were off and running.  Go it Alone, Tour of Duty, Decoration Day, and Outfit were all fantastic mixing the old and new together flawlessly.  With Different Days, out came the acoustic guitar and things slowed down a bit. All country and full of glory Jason sang these slow and admittedly sad songs with a huge smile.  Live Oak, Stockholm, and Travelling Alone are three of my favorites and he nailed them all with confidence.  The band wrapped up the show with Never Gonna Change, Alabama Pines, and Goddamn Lonely Love.  All were deep and heartfelt played with the passion of a new man, finally comfortable in his own boots.  Jason encored with Super 8 and the Stones’ Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’.  Both were full tilt, straight up rock n roll. The GATH was rockin’ and Jason loved it.  It was more than obvious Jason was happy to be in that moment on that sacred stage.

 Jason nailed the night and it showed in his voice, his guitar, and his smile.  He looked healthy and happy, seeming to be having the time of his life.  It was great to hear everyone cheer when he sang of “swearing that stuff off for good this time.”  It was more than evident that a clear and sober mind does a body good, and allow for all the greatness to show after hiding in the dark for so long.  Jason put on a great show, he knew it, and the crowd knew it and we all felt good.  Leaving a rock show the way we should; happy and satisfied.  Hopefully, Jason will continue on his own Tour of Duty, proving song by song  and show by show that he is hands down the best songwriter in America today.

One last note, St. Paul and the Broken Bones open the show last night and all I can say is wow.  If you love Otis Redding the way I do, you will love these guys.  They will be one to keep an eye on for sure.  Simply amazing!

GO SEE LIVE MUSIC

Music Midtown 2013

By Rusty Ruus

Friday the lineup sucked. The two Americana bands on the whole festival bill were Drivin' & Cryin' and North Mississippi Allstars. Both played at 4:00 and were missed by 90% of the attendants. Thanks a lot, schedule maker. F-you, too, BTW...  Then, it was a huge line of shit, including 2 Chains, Phoenix, and fuck; I can't remember all that garbage...  Long story short, Jane's Addiction still fucking rocks and bringing out 2 women who jammed meat hooks through their backs and swung around over the crowd put them over the top as the best act of the festival. It felt really wrong & really right at the same time.  I won't even discuss who the genius was that decided that Mexican karaoke  Journey deserved to be Friday's headliner, but I'll say, the lil' guy sounded just like Steve Perry as I was walking to my car...  At least the weather was beautiful....

Saturday the weather WAS NOT beautiful.  It rained like a motherfucker for the 1st 6 hours of the fest. Completely mud pitting the festival grounds and dampening some goddamn great sets from Reignwolf and the Black Lips.  The locals Black Lips came out to thunderous Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop music (well played, guys) and told tales of sneaking into all Music Midtown's from the past.  Weezer was okay. Meh. They played Jonas & Hashpipe 1st & 2nd so I went to eat at the food trucks 3rd time.  The Arctic Monkeys, one more time, The Arctic Monkeys, They were brilliant. During their set, the rain began to let up, a bit. They were my most anticipated band at the show & did not disappoint. Alex Turner is a really charismatic rock star & told tales to lead from one song to the other... The rhythm with which he delivers the lyrics is really unique and it was great to finally see them. Looking forward to seeing them in a smaller venue, they fucking jammed.... And a big, fat +1 to any dude who carries a comb in his pocket & brushes his hair countless times between songs... The Yeah Yeah Yeahs did not rock that much or hard. Karen O (who has been fucking banshee rock beast in the past) was over doing it and not that spontaneous. I went and ate food trucks again, when Maps began... Karen O? More like Lame-O.  Queens of the Stone Age was next... And Awesome! Josh & Alex Turner (arctic Monkeys) have a similar swagger to their delivery. Since we left YYYs early, we were able to get up on the rail for QOTSA. It made a huge difference. Except for the raging drunks, the set was phenomenal. They have been & will always be one of my favorite bands... Lil' sad that Atlanta got a festival set instead of a headlining gig but they'll be back soon & I anticipate it being awesome... Nothing like being in the front of 35,000 rock fans, though!  Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined. They play too much new stuff & my feet hurt... & I was soaked... 

Except for the weather (excused) poor scheduling (inexcusable) that forced me to miss BOTH DnC and NMAS, Kendrick Lamar (for QOTSA), and Cake (for Jane's), Music Midtown 2013 was pretty damn fun.