I am beginning to recover from my birthday week, the best week of shows I have ever experienced.
Every day a friend had a show in range for me to attend. I started Monday at the Lexington Avenue Brewery in Asheville. I went to see David Wax Museum and when I got there I was surprised to see Now You See Them opening the show. Now You See Them is a quirky Asheville band that I always enjoy seeing.
David Wax Museum followed with an incredible performance going from intimate to raucous and back again. If you haven’t seen this band make it a resolution. They play Mexo-Americana music with a Donkey Jawbone beat. Their show was highlighted by taking the show into the crowd to play acoustically while the crowd surrounded them. Whether they are whispering Wait For Me or rocking the house with Colas they command the attention of the room.
Tuesday was a trip to Nashville to The Basement to see Charlie Faye. If you haven’t heard her story check out the interview I did with her earlier. Charlie mixed new songs and old favorites in a way that has me lusting for her next album.
Count This Penny from Madison made a quick trip to East Tennessee. I got to see them twice Wednesday, first at The Blue Plate Special and then in Johnson City at The Down Home. Amanda is adjusting to the Wisconsin winter by writing a batch of sad songs which they shared with the room full of family and friends the filled the Down Home.
Almost everytime I see them they know everyone in the crowd. Their shows feel like friends stopping by the house and the banjos and guitars come out.
Thursday was my birthday and someone arranged a treat for me. A double bill in Knoxville at Relix Variety Theatre with favorites The Stereofidelics and Hudson K with the added bonus of Hudson K shooting a video for their song Fade. The Stereofidelics, Chris Padgett and Melissa McGinley, opened with their usual firestorm of guitar and violin and bass and drums. When you listen you can picture four musicians on stage. You need to see them live to see how the two of them pull it off.
The Hudson K portion of the evening deserves its own blog post so stay tuned for some video clips from the making of their video.
When I was at The Down Home I was crushed to find out that Jill Andrew’s Saturday show was sold out. I hadn’t counted on that and had to rethink the rest of my week. Fortunately she was playing The Evening Muse in Charlotte on Friday so off I went. The added miles were well spent. Jill played a lot of songs from her upcoming album, The Mirror, plus old favorites including some Everybodyfields songs. If you didn’t pre-order The Mirror through Jill’s Kickstarter campaign watch for its release this Spring.
By Saturday I was ready to stay home and recover. I’d seen shows in five different cities the last five days. Then I got a tweet and scratched that idea. Talented Atlanta songwriter Tyler Lyle was playing in Knoxville at The Time Warp Tearoom and that’s not something that I want to miss. Knoxville songwriter Adem Bingham opened the show with another living room feeling performance, stopping midsong to tell a joke or share a “remember the time” story with the audience.
Tyler Lyle completed my magical week with more new songs for me as well as old favorites. Buy his CDs, any and all, you won’t be disappointed.
On Sunday I rested.
My thanks to all the wonderful musicians who made my birthday week the best.
