The Lucky Thirteen: The Big Folkin' Edition

I'm not saying that the Big Folkin' Festival is the only show happening this weekend. But let's be honest: one look at the lineup and it's evident that this is more than a show. This is an out and out event. Or, as Parallel Play's Jeremy Drake (founder of the festival) would say, a hootenanny. Whatever you call it, it's a big deal. Tickets can be purchased in advance (click here to do so), and admission gets you the ability to see five different stages of music. You probably knew about the first four: The Prophet Bar, The Door (main and side stages), and the outdoor stage. Don't forget, however, that In Accord has its own stage. If you're like me, you're already super excited for the festival. But just to get you even more pumped, I've compiled a playlist of artists from the five different stages, and listed the start times as well. So take a listen and get your folk on.
Standard playlist disclaimer: any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email address to email me your mp3's. If I like the song, then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "One Loaded Gun", Lara Parker
   A few months ago, I went to see Emmeline's open mic that she hosts every Wednesday at The Crown and Harp. During the show, I heard one young lady sing whose voice had a very haunting yet captivating quality to it. It was the kind of voice that makes a person take notice. That voice belongs to Lara Parker, and after hearing her, I knew that I wanted to do whatever I could to help Ms. Parker get the exposure she so richly deserves. She'll be kicking off the In Accord stage at 5:30 pm. I have no doubt she'll be playing this track, which possibly provides the darkest twist to the lyrics of "You Are My Sunshine" that you'll ever hear.


2. "Shame on Me", Chris J. Norwood
   I've been digging his EP The Moth and the Flame ever since its release late last summer. I have not as of yet been able to catch one of his live shows. Since I can't seem to get myself to a show of his, I decided instead to bring his show to me. He'll perform at In Accord at 6:30 pm.


3. "Julie", Dovetail
   When I first heard Dovetail was performing the Big Folkin' Festival, I felt a little surprised. The Dovetail I knew was closer sonically to Radiant* and Air Review rather than anything that remotely resembled folk. After hearing the new album, Mount Karma, I see that the band has steered away from the Coldplay/Radiohead vibe of the last album. That sound has been replaced with a southern rock sound with strong hints of 60's pop and psychedelia. And if their CD release show at Granada Theater this past Saturday was any hint, their set on the main stage at the Door (start time 7 pm) will be a real crowd pleaser.


4. "All the Reasons Why", Emmeline
   So I booked the In Accord lineup, and I put Emmeline on it. Yeah, who would have guessed that I'd want her on the lineup? Actually, anyone who even barely knows me must be aware of what a fan I am. She'll go on at 7 pm at In Accord.


5. "Someone Else's Blues", Greg Schroeder
   Mr. Schroeder has previously performed at In Accord, and the crowd was dead silent, hanging on every word of every song and story. He won't be performing at In Accord this time around, but he will be playing the outdoor stage at 7:30 pm.


6. "Love to Hear", Hannah Wilshire
   This song got more than its share of spins on my Deep Ellum Radio show in the fall of last year. Give it a listen here and you'll understand why. Or better yet, listen to this song live when she plays at In Accord at 7:45 pm.


7. "Dog's Light", Bravo, Max!
   This will be a long day for Johnny Beauford. Not only will Bravo, Max! be performing in the Prophet Bar at 8:15 pm, but he'll do a solo set at 9:15 pm.


8. "Your Kiss", Parallel Play
   Since the concept of the Big Folkin' Festival was courtesy of Parallel Play's Jeremy Drake, it only seemed fitting to include one of the band's songs on the playlist. Their set starts at 9 pm at The Door's main stage.


9. "Gambling Preacher and His Daughter", Whiskey Folk Ramblers
   Over the past few years, WFR has gathered a very loyal and empathic fan base. Count on them to show up in large numbers for their set at The Door starting at 10 pm.


10. "She Falls", Rahim Quazi
    Patience is a virtue, right? I'm trying to patiently wait for Mr. Quazi's follow up to Supernatural, which he says will come out this year. It's been almost four years since his last CD, which is no small wait, especially in the world of local music. Count on Mr. Quazi to perform a large number of tunes from the upcoming album when he takes the In Accord stage at 10 pm.


11. "Shake Your Fist", Telegraph Canyon
    At 11 pm, all roads lead to The Door's main stage. During that time slot, all the other stages are empty, leaving everyone free to assemble to hear Telegraph Canyon.


12. "Schoolboy", Kirby Brown
    One of my favorite tracks of last year, and I'm sure he'll be playing this when he takes The Door's main stage at 12:30 am.


13. "Break My Spirit", The Roomsounds
    The Roomsounds will wrap up the show in their usual raucous fashion, no doubt. Gather around inside The Prophet Bar, get a last drink in before last call, get a new CD from the band, and get some rock.

My Big Folkin’ Announcement

You may have heard about The Big Folkin’ Festival. If not, let me tell you a little about it. Jeremy Drake of the band Parallel Play has assembled what I can only describe as an all star cast of local players in folk. Actually, Mr. Drake has stretched the limits of what is commonly thought of as folk, by incorporating country, alt-country, blues, roots-rock, and even rockabilly under the umbrella of folk. Acts playing the festival include Telegraph Canyon, Whiskey Folk Ramblers, The O’s, Kirby Brown, Nicholas Altobelli, Dovetail, Goodnight Ned, The Roomsounds, and… well, I’m getting tired of listing all the acts, but there’s many others that will be playing The Prophet Bar and The Door on March 31st.

The party, however, is not limited to those two clubs. I am excited to announce that I have booked an excellent afternoon/evening of talent at In Accord. Some of you may be familiar with the store, which serves several purposes. The store sells fair trade merchandise from local artisans, artists display and sell their works in the gallery area, and In Accord is also home to Deep Ellum Radio. In Accord also has allowed me to host acoustic showcases every 2nd Saturday of the Month, featuring established acts like Phoenix Hart, Greg Schroeder, Rahim Quazi, and Chris Holt (among others).

But I’m digressing here. Back to the show. By purchasing your ticket or wristband at The Prophet Bar, you automatically gain entry to my showcase at In Accord. But who’s playing, you’re wondering. I’m so glad you asked…

 5:30  Lara Parker
 6:00  Kyle Brooks
 6:30  Chris J Norwood
 7:00  Emmeline
 7:45  Hannah Wilshire
 8:30  Garrett Owen
 9:15  Jaimee Harris
10:00  Rahim Quazi

So please, don’t delay. Get your tickets ASAP, and come hang with me at In Accord March 31st.

Video: Kirby Brown, "Young! Young! Young!"

During the course of last year, my focus shifted much more towards my Deep Ellum Radio show, and as a result, the blog suffered. Those who did not listen to the show may have missed out on keeping up with my favorite releases of last year. One of my favorite albums of last year was Kirby Brown's debut CD, Child of Calamity. While not a full on concept album, the theme of youth seemed to come up repeatedly. Nowhere was that more obvious on the album's leading track, "Young! Young! Young!".

Almost a full year after the album's release, Mr. Brown finally debuted the video this past weekend. It's easy enough to miss out when a video is premiered over the weekend. That likelihood only increases when that weekend is the 35 Denton festival. I don't want this video (or song, for that matter) to be overlooked, so I decided to share it here on the blog. You can catch Mr. Brown this weekend at the SXSW festival. He performs Thursday at Lucy’s Retired Surfer Bar (4 pm), Friday at Whiskey at Ink (5 pm), and Saturday at Townhouse Bar (8 pm). For those Dallasites not making the trek to Austin, you'll have to wait until March 31 for The Big Folkin' Festival. In fact, I'll be having my own announcement regarding that festival very shortly. But that's a story for another day. In the meantime, press play and enjoy!

The Lucky Thirteen: 2/6/12

When I began my shows on Deep Ellum Radio, I felt that doing a weekly playlist on top of my show would be redundant. Since I have not been able to record as many shows as usual, I'm thinking that a return of the Lucky Thirteen may be in order. So without further ado, here is this week's Lucky Thirteen. Also, forgive my briefer than usual commentary today. My brain is having a bad case of the Mondays.

Standard playlist disclaimer: any artists, record labels, etc. who do not wish to be on the playlist for any reason whatsoever, email me at ghostofblindlemon@gmail.com and I will gladly remove the track. And if you'd actually like to be on the playlist, you can use the same email address to email me your mp3's. If I like the song, then odds are it'll wind up on a playlist.

1. "Gambling Preacher and His Daughter", Whiskey Folk Ramblers
   Not only is this the strongest song I've heard from the band, the video for the song is quite impressive and intriguing. Don't just take my word on it. Pause the playlist and give it a watch right below.
   
   
   


2. "Your Kiss", Parallel Play
   Time for a shameless Crown and Harp plug: check out Parallel Play, along with The Black Frames and Police cover band Regatta de Faux, this Friday night. A mere $5 cover gets you thru the door for this fine night of music. OK, my sales pitch is done... for now.


3. "My Niagra Heart", Spooky Folk
   I did a little search for Spooky Folk in the Grooveshark catalog, and to my surprise, there were a number of their songs available. After hearing this song repeatedly on The Local Edge with Mark, it inevitably grew on me. By the way, if you're not listening to his show, you're really missing out.


4. "City Bus", The Boom Boom Box
   The Boom Boom Box released their first full length CD, Until Your Eyes Get Used to the Darkness, last month. It's full of everything you expect: thundering guitars, fierce percussion, and Andrew Huffstetler's trademark scream. And yes, this is meant to be played very loud.


5. "I'm Goin' Nowhere", The Chloes
   This weekend breaks the cycle of three consecutive weekends watching The Chloes play. I'm not a stalker. Honest.


6. "sEVEN", Ducado VeGA
   Congratulations to Mr. Vega. This past Saturday, he and Zenya (keyboardist for his band, Bloodrich) got married.


7. "The Story", Emmeline
   Emmeline is one of the contenders for the Hard Rock Rising 2012 contest. The winner gets to perform at the Hard Rock Cafe in London. There are a lot of great acts competing, including Ducado Vega, Gypsy Bravado, Jessie Frye, Quincy Forte Johnson, and, well, too many more to mention. Click here to vote for your choice. And when you vote, you get to download a free track from the artist (in Emmeline's case, it's "The Story). How cool is that?


8. "The Man with the Golden Snack", Old Snack
   This is the only way that an Old Snack can be tasty.


9. "Sound City", The Burning Hotels
   I have to confess that "Beard", the lead off single from the band's self titled CD, didn't grab me as much as I expected it to. This track, on the other hand, is a much more appealing foray into new wave. This song helps prove "Allison" was no fluke.


10. "Schoolboy", Kirby Brown
    Mr. Brown will be playing what's called The Valentine Blues Ball at LaGrange this Saturday, along with Quaker City Night Hawks and Dead Mockingbirds. Looks like this should be a good alternative for those needing an Anti-Valentine's Day celebration.


11. "I'm Not to Spare (Live)", Tweed EQ
    Siren Sea are playing at The Crown and Harp on Friday, February 17th for their CD release show. I don't have the new album yet, therefore I cannot share any material. Instead, I offer you a live Tweed EQ track, since they're sharing a bill with Siren Sea.


12. "The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower", The Deathray Davies
    Mr. Dufilho will be releasing his second solo CD in a matter of months. It's an ambitious project to say the least, with guest vocals from many of Dallas' finest (Sarah Jaffe, Salim Nourallah, Will Johnson, and Ben Kweller are just a few names). Reportedly, he'll also release the 6th DRD release this year. Here's hoping that happens.


13. "I Only Have Eyes for You", Emily Riddle
    This is a song I've been wanting to share with my Deep Ellum Radio listeners, but have not had the proper opportunity to do so. It's a little more pop than what I usually listen to, and yet between Ms. Riddle's lovely voice and the intriguing melody, this track has set up a permanent residence in my head. See if it has the same effect on you.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio Playlist: 5/25/11

Again, thanks to Ducado Vega and Bloodrich for hanging out with me and performing on the show. I'll get more show recommendations up later, but needless to say, their show at The Bone with The Kul, The Red 100's, and Gypsy Bravado is THE show of the weekend. Now, on with the playlist.

"Red Palomino", The Demigs
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"New Disco", Stella Rose
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Better by Design", John Lefler
"Buy You", Spookeasy
"Crawl", The Virgin Wolves
"Love Bomb", Rude King
"Flick the Moon at Mars", One Red Martian
"Daylight", El Cento
"No, MY Generation", Kirby Brown
"Desperate Times", Old 97's
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Tim Locke
"Indian Melody", Calhoun
"These Are the Dead Days", Calhoun
"Coma Rally", Coma Rally
"Tearing up the Road", Grand Street Cryers
IN STUDIO PERFORMANCE: Ducado Vega & Bloodrich
"sEVEN"
"Love/Hate"
"Hella"
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Time for a Change", The O's
"Labor of Love", Smile Smile
"Ellie", Scott Riegel
"Hush", Anna Thomas
"Two Words", Taylor Marie
"Will You Be There", Pale Horse

And if you'd like me to play your songs on my Deep Ellum Radio show, send some mp3s to ghost@deepellumradio.com and if I like what I hear, I'll play it.

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio: 5/17/11

Alright, so I'm quite a bit late in posting this playlist. Better late than never, right? Besides, now's a perfect time to remind you to listen to tomorrow's show on deepellumradio from 6-8 pm CST. I'll be joined by special guests Nick Metzger (manager of The Orange), along with Scott Tucker and Cody Waits of The Orange. Speaking of that band, I'll be doing a live broadcast from Curtain Club Friday night for The Orange's show. Come hang.

And before I digress any further, here's the playlist.

"So, Within", Seryn
"Open the Night", One Red Martian
"I'm Immune", Chris Holt
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Allison", The Burning Hotels
"Get It on the Floor", LehtMoJoe
"Hey Jane", Bravo, Max!
"Heart's on Fire", The Marfalites
"I Know a Thing or Two (About You)", Tweed EQ
"If It Never Gets Better", Taylor Davis
"Billy Prichard", Slobberbone
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Robert Anderson
"The Fall Fashions", The Deathray Davies
"Accomplice", Nervous Curtains
"Wired to Make Waves", Nervous Curtains
"Prepared", Jessie Frye
"Gusto", The Demigs
"Shake Your Dandelion", Ishi
"Daylight", El Cento
"Geek", The Crazy Ivans
"Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
"to the 9's", hormones
"Fake Museum", Raised by Tigers
"Like a Charm", Here Holy Spain
"New Disco", Stella Rose
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Paper Girl", Katie Carroll
"Tryin' to Have a Good Time", The O's
"Bridges", Sorta
"Schoolboy", Kirby Brown

Ghost of Blind Lemon Radio: 4/27/11

For those who have been faithfully listening to my radio show on deepellumradio, I give you my sincere thanks. To those who have not been listening, I hope to convince to start listening every Wednesday 6-8 pm CST. Perhaps if you see the fine musical selections that you're missing out on, that will convince you to turn up your computer speakers and give me a listen. So without further ado, here's this week's playlist.


"Underground", Kirby Brown
"Hotel Denalian", Bravo, Max!
"Missing Funerals", Salim Nourallah
"Hands Where Words Cannot Go", RTB2
"City of Hate", Toadies
"Carney's Lake", W.A. Fite
"Save Your Breath", Camille Cortinas
"Chasing Corporate", Air Review
"Justify or Explain", Tweed EQ
"Man with the Crooked Crown", Nicholas Altobellit
"You're No Good", Pale Horse
"Burn It Down", Here Holy Spain
"Tropicall", Soviet
MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT: Kim Bonner
"Holy Water", Princess Tex
"Holiday", Vibrolux
"Potential Future Selves", THe BAcksliders
"Turn on Your Radio", THe BAcksliders
"sEVEN", DuCADO Vega
"Parking Lot Nights", Ghosthustler
"Set Me Free", The Red 100's
"Love Bomb", Rude King
"Charmed", The Bright
"Eyes Get Bigger", Oil Boom
"Skull Eyes", True Widow
"Three", The Timeline Post
"Sins of the Fathers", Course of Empire
"Remember You", The O's
"Pawn Shop Special", The Marfalites
"Someone Else's Blues", Greg Schroeder

And for those who have been wondering, the Ghost of Blind Lemon theme (intro song) was created by Clay Pendergrass, and the outro song is an excerpt from Rahim Quazi's "Supernatural (Reprise).

Also, feel free to email me at ghost@deepellumradio.com with song requests, suggestions for the show, or if you have an mp3 you'd like me to play.