About the Show
Music City Roots
A weekly concert and live radio show presented from The Loveless Cafe Barn in Nashville, TN.
By Craig Havighurst, Music City Roots Producer
It’s my last intent in the world to make this column “all political” but it wouldn’t be an honest review of 11.9.16 without noting that as our team/family got together for show day, we were all reacting to the result of the presidential election, which was not even 24 hours old. And if you know the values and beliefs of most artists/creative folk, it won’t surprise you that the outcome was shockingly different from what most of us hoped for or expected. And I say that with respect for anyone of good will who was excited about the result. We’ll see. I know we’re allglad to have the long and taxing campaign just OVER. So I declared in pre-show podium time that MCR would be a politics free zone and that we’d do what we humans will do, need to do, must do in times of national tension. We play. We feel. We listen.
And it was a darned interesting Wednesday night to do those things at the Factory.
Jim Lauderdale opened the night with “All The Rage In Paris” from his new This Changes Everything country album. Then Todd Burge took the stage with a sideman, and if you’re going to bring but one Nashville sideman to accompany you on a songwriter set, you could make no cooler choice than Burge did: legendary percussionist Kenny Malone. While Kenny made tasteful beats on his djembe and snare drum, Burge rendered songs of sardonic wit and quirky narrative. The opener had a sneaky groove, a slinky melody and a trippy falsetto chorus, but then it was about “Time To Waste Time” so it made a kind of strange sense. A country blues paid homage to a “Jesus Night Light” and a light, rolling fingerstyle guitar figure backed up the vivid anecdotes and snapshots in a song about “The good times in life that haven’t killed me yet.” Todd was an engaging performer who played a mean harmonica as well.
Deep takes on acoustic music and bluegrass has become a hallmark of the Boston scene and the Berklee College of Music. That’s where mandolinist and singer Joe K. Walsh comes from, as a student of yesterday and a teacher of today. He brought an expert quartet to the stage featuring Courtney Hartman on guitar, John Mailander on fiddle and Brittany Karlson on upright bass and they smoked it at moderate volume and tempos (the hardest way to smoke). “From The Morning” was a sweet and drifty song with a layered groove. “Never More Will Roam” was just wonderful – a big story about an eccentric (to put it kindly) balloon explorer who tried (and failed) to reach the North Pole. How’s that for bluegrass tragedy? And how about the three part vocal harmony? The instrumental work was subtle but dazzling all around, especially the solos traded between fiddle and mando on set closer “Aint’ No One Like You.” Seek out Walsh’s album Borderland for more of this delightful sound.
MCR is by definition a sampler platter. Our 25 minutes sets mean if you’re not fond of an artist it’ll all be over soon. And if you really love someone you’ll get a good sized portion, but definitely be hungry for more. I felt that distinctly listening to Grant Farm, a band that’s made breakthroughs since its last visit to Roots back in the Loveless Barn days. Then they were a solid country rock band that leaned heavily on the rip roaring twang of guitar star Tyler Grant. Now there’s an atmosphere and a sensibility, instrumental interplay and smart arrangements. The drone-heavy guitar theme of opener “Get In Line” mingled hill country blues with Richard Thompson Celtic, and the tune used big churchy organ by Kevin McHugh to segue dramatically into “Wanderer” without a break. They slammed it out country style sometimes and eased back into washy colors elsewhere. They had three guys who sang impressive lead vocals. The songs were really good. Grant Farm headlining Red Rocks on a mountain summer night? It ought to happen and I’d buy a ticket.
Bill Lloyd pulled a quick change of personnel plan on Wednesday when his electric band’s regular bassist had a baby arrive in the family. The drummerless trio of Bill, Jim Hoke on steel and Hags Haggerty on bass eased nicely through a mix of originals and covers, which is Bill’s way. “In A Perfect World” was light and danceable. “Coconut Grove” had breezy jazz chords. And the highlight was a dynamic take on the “Across The Universe,” a reminder of just what a remarkable melody that song has. Its mantra chorus, “Nothing’s gonna change my world” felt particularly calming under the circumstances.
Everybody seems to think our country is up the proverbial creek without the proverbial paddle, but I’m urging patient waiting and vigilance and togetherness. So as our assembled bands sang “Up On Cripple Creek” I made an early getaway to get home to my daughter (Mom is out of town) for my reminder that so many things transcend politics. I wish that in that forum we were gentler, wiser, more curious, more tolerant. Until we get to that promised land we’ve always got music.
