The Pogues: “The Very Best Of” (2013) CD Review

Back in the late 1980s my friend Dan Ryan and I would listen to a lot of music, talk about music, and even make some of our own (him on bass, me on drums). One band that came up over and over was The Pogues. We loved Irish folk music, and were excited by punk bands like The Buzzcocks and The Modern Lovers. The Pogues combined all of that to create a sound that was all their own. And sure, part of the fun was trying to discern the lyrics when Shane seemed to mumble.

The Very Best Of is of course not the first collection of Pogues songs to be released. I picked up Essential a couple of decades ago when it came out, but that album only included Island releases and so didn’t have any tracks from Rum Sodomy & The Lash, which is perhaps the band’s best album (certainly one of the best titles of any album anywhere ever). This new collection, The Very Best Of, has a good number of tracks from that album, including “Sally MacLennane,” “The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn” and “A Pair Of Brown Eyes” (all of which are fantastic songs).

This collection features more than an hour of music, and has liner notes by Spider Stacy (according to the notes, “Streams Of Whiskey” was the first song they ever performed live). The songs are full of great characters and wonderful stories. Plus, they’re fun, and most will get you dancing. Try to stay in your seat during “Body Of An American” or “Sally MacLennane.”

This CD opens with “Dirty Old Town,” an Irish song that every single band will play on St. Paddy’s Day. And for good reason – it is a damned good song.  “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” is a favorite of mine. I used to listen to it a lot back in high school. Turn it up, and dance around.

This collection also includes “The Irish Rover,” and yes, it’s that great recording with The Dubliners. Just fantastic. Quick, name as many Irish songs with the word “rover” in the title as you can.

“A Pair Of Brown Eyes” in an incredible tune with some excellent lyrics. Check these out: “I lay down on the ground/And the arms and legs of other men/Were scattered all around/Some cursed some prayed, some prayed then cursed/Then prayed then bled some more/And the only thing that I could see/Was a pair of brown eyes that was looking at me.”

“Fairytale Of New York” is, without a doubt, the best Christmas song ever written. Nothing else comes close. What other song can make you laugh out loud on one line, then move you to tears on another? It’s a sweet love song (a duet with Kirsty MacColl), yet also has the line “Happy Christmas your arse, I pray god it’s our last.” This is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard, and is the only Christmas song I can listen to all year long. If somehow you’ve managed to get this far in life without having heard it, you owe it to yourself to give it a listen.

“Sally MacLennane” is one of my favorite Irish songs. Actually, it’s one of my favorite songs over all. It’s so much fun. And I can’t help but shout “In the rain,” “On the train” and “Far away” whenever I listen to it (sorry, neighbors). This also has that great line, “Some people left for heaven without warning.”

“Rainy Night In Soho” is another beautiful love song. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “We watched our friends grow up together/And we saw them as they fell/Some of them fell into heaven/Some of them fell into hell.” And then: “And I stepped into your arms/On a rainy night in Soho.”

CD Track List

1. Dirty Old Town
2. The Sunnyside Of The Street
3. If I Should Fall From Grace With God
4. The Irish Rover
5. Rain Street
6. A Pair Of Brown Eyes
7. Boys From The County Hell
8. Fairytale Of New York
9. Body Of An American
10. Thousands Are Sailing
11. Sally MacLennane
12. Misty Morning, Albert Bridge
13. Tuesday Morning
14. Rainy Night In Soho
15. Streams Of Whiskey
16. The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn
17. Young Ned Of The Hill
18. Love You ‘Till The End

The Very Best Of The Pogues was released on January 22, 2013 through Shout! Factory.

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Samantha Crain: “Kid Face” (2013) CD Review

Every once in a while there is an artist that grabs me from the opening notes of the first song I hear. It happened with Josh Lederman Y Los Diablos. It happened with Holly Golightly And The Brokeoffs. And it happened with Samantha Crain when I popped in her new CD, Kid Face.  

The opening song, “Never Going Back,” starts with nice work on acoustic guitar, and then adds violin – and I’m totally on board. And then Samantha Crain begins to sing, and that’s when I know this album is something special. I immediately love her voice. The first lines are, “This horse that kicked me in the heart/Then asked me if I want another start or ride/He leaves me thirsty, leaves me dim/I’m lookin’ at a picture of him and his bride/Oh, I’m never going back.” This song has a great happy feel.

There is something interesting in the way she delivers a line, particularly on a tune like “Taught To Lie,” with its slower groove. It’s part earthly, rooted deep in our world, and part angelic, coming from some other land.  It’s a magical combination, a voice I’m eager to follow.  She sings, “I’ve learned to tell the truth sometimes.” Everything I hear from her sounds like truth to me.

Even more than the two previous tracks, her vocals drive “Paint,” especially at the beginning, before the piano comes in. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “I don’t want to be a cynic/It’s much too soon for that/Still it feels like something’s missing/And that’s a real drawback.” This song features a nice guitar part, and then the violin comes in like another voice, like a backing vocalist. I appreciate the way Samantha uses instruments in her songs, each doing only what is needed, nothing more – it’s not like she’s trying to fill a space.

On “The Pattern Has Changed” her voice is weary and vulnerable, beautiful. She sings, “Changing my clothes though they’re the only thing I own now/Coming off the road though it’s the only way I know how/The pattern has changed, not over time but a shift in the ground/What is spare time? I spend all of mine trying to figure this out.” At moments the piano is silent, letting her voice speak right to us, close to us.

And in “Kid Face,” the album’s title track, her voice has a strength, a resilience, like the voice of a survivor. “Oh I still got a lot of fight before I settle down/Looking for standards in a country of cancers/Oh the land of my fathers where everything dies.”

“Somewhere All The Time” is a happier country-folk tune that immediately makes me smile. It’s a really good traveling song, and makes me itch to get on the road. I love the vocal line of this song. And then near the end there are some backing vocals, and yes, this does seem like a sing-along. I wish it went on a little longer in that vein.

In “Sand Paintings,” her voice is almost a whisper at times. It then rises and builds on “And I know it looks like rain” and then dips immediately on “but nothing’s going to change.” This song has a cool groove that pulls you in right away, and then later features some interesting and surprising use of electric guitar, and a wild ending over a strong pulse. “I won’t be hard on myself if you’ll be kind to you.”

All songs on this album were written by Samantha Crain. This is an album I’m going to be listening to a lot.

CD Track List

1. Never Going Back
2. Taught To Lie
3. Paint
4. For The Miner
5. The Pattern Has Changed
6. Churchill
7. Kid Face
8. Somewhere All The Time
9. Ax
10. Sand Paintings
11. We’ve Been Found 

Musicians

Musicians appearing on this release include Samantha Crain on vocals, acoustic guitars and percussion; Anne Lillis on drums, percussion and backing vocals; Brine Webb on bass guitar and backing vocals; John Calvin Abney on piano, synthesizer and banjo; Daniel Foulks on violin and backing vocals; Kyle Reid on lap steel, cigar box guitar and electric guitar; and Anna Ash on backing vocals.

Kid Face is scheduled to be released on February 19, 2013 on Ramseur Records. This is her third full-length album. She has also released Songs In The Night (2009) You (Understood) (2010), as well as an EP titled The Confiscation: A Musical Novella (2007).

Otis Taylor: “My World Is Gone” (2013) CD Review

Otis Taylor’s new CD, My World Is Gone, is a collection of songs that seems to take us into the past while not being nostalgic or irrelevant. The themes are sometimes related to Native Americans and the destruction of cultures, but don’t worry – this isn’t a doom and gloom album. It’s not an album to ruin your mood, or bring you down. Partly this is due to the instruments Otis chooses with which to present his messages.  Otis Taylor has his own sound, combining banjo and cornet on “Sand Creek Massacre Mourning,” for example (that song also has some nice work on drums by Larry Thompson). This isn’t just blues, though he uses a familiar, traditional blues rhythm on a song like “The Wind Comes In” (though even on that one he uses banjo).

Most of these tracks are really effective. Only occasionally does Otis Taylor fall back on over-used, familiar images and statements. Like in “Never Been To The Reservation” he sings “They’ve got babies living in the street, and he’s drinking champagne.” Lines like that no longer elicit anger in the listener, no longer feel like a call to action. They’ve become too commonplace. But mostly he’s able to refrain from these sorts of lyrics, and to be original. For he really does have an original voice and sound. And what a voice.

All of the tracks on My World Is Gone were written and arranged by Otis Taylor.

“My World Is Gone”

The album begins with the title track, “My World Is Gone,” whose opening notes are so sweet and pretty, with fiddle coming in over the guitar. Then Otis Taylor’s vocals come in, his voice kind and wise, maybe a bit tired – a voice that has lived and seen much, a voice that speaks Truth, but not from on high, but rather from right next to you, with you. “If you send me a golden razor, oh, I’ll cut my hair.” I also really dig the guitar part, particularly on the lead sections. Anne Harris’ presence on fiddle really adds to the beauty of the song.

“Lost My Horse”

“Lost My Horse” is a bit more aggressive, with a good blues edge. It opens with these lines: “My daddy was a runaway slave/My momma was a Navajo/I’ve been drinking/Like my daddy do/I’ve been drinking/Like my daddy do/I done lost my horse/Oh, I’m sure to lose my mind.” This song features the great combination of electric mandolin and guitar. A different version of this song appeared on Otis Taylor’s 2001 release, White African.

“Huckleberry Blues”

“Huckleberry Blues” is one of the most interesting songs on the album, for it’s blues with a banjo, an instrument that seems somehow the opposite of the blues. And on top of that, there is this delicious horn – that’s Ron Miles on cornet. The result is a wonderful jazzy blues jam. I really love this tune.

“Blue Rain In Africa”

“Blue Rain In Africa” has a sound that is simple and beautiful. This is a song that somehow gets right on top of you emotionally, without the help of a lot of lyrics. It seems to effortlessly tap into something deep within us, something to connect all of us. “There must be blue rain in Africa.”

“Jae Jae Waltz”

“Jae Jae Waltz” is a fun, light and sweet folk song that is impossible not to like. In this one, a man is asking a woman to dance, reminding her that her husband is gone.  It opens with these lines: “Waltz with me/Won’t you please/Won’t you please waltz with me/Won’t you hold my hand/Won’t you please waltz with me/John is gone/John is gone/They put him in the ground.” I absolutely love this tune.

“Green Apples”

“Green Apples” is a really cool jam. I dig that relentless guitar part, like it’s demanding and not going to give up until she agrees to treat him right. Otis sings, “Green apples in the morning/Red apples at night/Treat me right/Oh baby, treat me right.” This track also features wonderful work by Ron Miles on cornet.

“Sit Across Your Table”

My World Is Gone concludes with “Sit Across Your Table,” an upbeat, happy blues tune about being seated across the table from the woman you love.  Here is a taste of the lyrics: “When I wake up in the morning/And the world gets me down/Well, I look across my table/I see you, I see you/And I say to myself/Lord, I say to myself/A wonderful world/What a wonderful world/Wonderful world.” This is a great little gem of a song.

CD Track List

1. My World Is Gone
2. Lost My Horse
3. Huckleberry Blues
4. Sand Creek Massacre Mourning
5. The Wind Comes In
6. Blue Rain In Africa
7. Never Been To The Reservation
8. Girl Friend’s House
9. Jae Jae Waltz
10. Gangster And Iztatoz Chauffeur
11. Coming With Crosses
12. Green Apples
13. Sit Across Your Table 

Musicians

Musicians appearing on this release include Otis Taylor on vocals, guitar, electric mandolin, slide guitar, and banjo; Mato Nanji on vocals and guitar; Anne Harris on fiddle; Larry Thompson on drums; Todd Edmunds on bass and tuba; Shawn Starski on guitar; Ron Miles on cornet; and Brian Juan on organ.

My World Is Gone is scheduled to be released on February 12, 2013 on Telarc International, a division of Concord Music Group.

New Leonard Cohen Concert Tour Dates For 2013

As you probably know, Leonard Cohen is the best living songwriter. Today a friend got us tickets to see him in Oakland. This will be my tenth Leonard Cohen concert, and I am seriously excited. If you've seen him already, you know what an incredible experience his concerts are. If you haven't seen him, well, here is your chance.  The following are the new tour dates:

March 2, 2013 - Paramount Theatre, Oakland, CA
March 6, 2013 - Save-On-Foods Memorial Center, Victoria, British Columbia
March 9, 2013 - Brandt Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan
March 11, 2013 - MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
March 13, 2013 - Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
March 15, 2013 - Milwaukee Theatre, Milwaukee, WI
March 18, 2013 - David A. Straz Jr. Center For The Performing Arts, Tampa, FL
March 20, 2013 - James L. Knight Center, Miami, FL
March 22, 2013 - Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
March 24, 2013 - Orpheum Theatre, Memphis, TN
March 28, 2013 - Mahalia Jackson Theater For The Performing Arts, New Orleans, LA
March 30, 2013 - Louisville Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY
April 2, 2013 - Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
April 6, 2013 - Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
April 9, 2013 - Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, Ontario
April 13, 2013 - Halifax Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
April 15, 2013 - Harbour Station, Saint John, New Brunswick
April 17, 2013 - Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, New Brunswick
April 20, 2013 - Mile One Centre, St. John's, Newfoundland
June 18, 2013 - Palais Omnisports de Bercy, Paris, France
June 21, 2013 - The O2 Arena, London, UK
June 25, 2013 - Konig Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
July 7, 2013 - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
July 9, 2013 - Lucca Summer Festival, Lucca, Italy
July 12, 2013 - SAP Arena, Mannheim, Germany
July 14, 2013 - O2 World, Hamburg, Germany
July 17, 2013 - O2 World, Berlin, Germany
August 17, 2013 - King's Garden, Odense, Denmark

Obviously there are some large gaps which likely will be filled with more dates. I hope this tour goes on and on. You'd never guess Leonard Cohen is 78 years old. He has more energy than most folks in their twenties.

Patrolled By Radar Releases New Video

I really love the band Patrolled By Radar.  They're based here in Los Angeles, and I need to go see them more often, for they put on a really good show.  One of the venues this band frequents is Cinema Bar, down in Culver City. That place is seriously small, and yet attracts a lot of great bands.  Patrolled By Radar shot their new video (for the song "Hate Talkin'") at that venue.

For those who are curious, here is the link to the video: Hate Talkin'.

I've also reviewed their albums, and you can check out my reviews here:
- Be Happy (2011)
- Cards Gifts & Caskets Vol. 1 (2012)

Bobby Rush: “Down In Louisiana” (2013) CD Review

Is Bobby Rush really 77? You’d never know it from the tunes on his new album, Down In Louisiana. I’d guess he was at least a couple of decades younger because of his energy and attitude. This CD is full of blues, with a good dose of funk. Check out the slow funk groove on “You Just Like A Dresser.” And check out “Rock this House,” which is all about the groove. There is also a Cajun influence on these tracks, as you might guess from the album’s title.

Most of these songs were written by Bobby Rush. Though in “Raining In My Heart,” he sings, “The sun is going to shine in my back door someday,” which of course is not an original line, and I do wonder how many songs use that line. (That song also features a very cool piano section by Paul Brown.)

This is a really good group of songs, my favorite probably being “Don’t You Cry.” And I believe Bobby Rush when, at the beginning of “Boogie In The Dark,” he sings, “I promise you, baby, I’ll never break your heart.” No, there is a faithfulness in these songs – to his fans, to music lovers, to the blues.

And so what is the blues? Well, as Bobby Rush sings, “The blues ain’t nothing but something bothering you on your mind/Try to forget about someone and you think about ‘em, you think about ‘em all the time.” Oh yes, that is certainly the blues.

“Down In Louisiana”

Bobby Rush opens Down In Louisiana with the title track. This song is blues with a good groove and a certain New Orleans flavor that always tastes just right. And at times his voice is so damn smooth it just makes you feel great. You know? Plus, it’s a fun song, with that whatever-you-want-to-do-is-good attitude. 

“Down In Louisiana” was written by Pat Vegas, Lolly Vegas and Jim Ford.

“You Just Like A Dresser”

In “You Just Like A Dresser,” Bobby Rush starts off directly addressing a woman in a cool spoken word bit: “Hey, baby, you know when we first met you promised you’d be true. In fact, you told me that I was the only man in your life. But I done found out everybody knows about my good thing.” Then the song kicks in – “Girl, you just like a dresser/Somebody’s always ramblin’ in your drawers.” One thing I’ve noticed about the blues is that they can make some silly lyrics totally work; they can make a goofy line sound cool and sexy, sometimes even profound.

“I Ain’t The One”

“I Ain’t The One” has a bright, positive feel, due in large part to Bobby Rush’s wonderful harmonica part. But this song also has a bit of reggae, which is inherently positive. This tune will put a smile on your face. Toward the end, Bobby sings, “If you want someone to pay your bills without giving up some thrills, I ain’t the one.”

“I Ain’t The One” was written by Paul Brown.

“Don’t You Cry”

“Don’t You Cry” is a seriously cool slow blues love song. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “You say you been hurt by a previous love affair/He broke your heart beyond repair/So dry your eyes, pretty mama/And please don’t you cry/You love me, and I love you/Together baby, there ain’t nothing we can’t do.” And again, I love his harmonica part, which at one point begins an excellent instrumental section. (Actually, that happens twice in this song.) And then his voice right in your ear at the end saying “Don’t cry, baby” is just perfect. So intimate, so kind, so sexy. I absolutely love this song.

“Tight Money”

“Tight Money” is great raw blues with an angry pulse. In this one, he sings, “I’m poor, poor, poor/Up to my neck/The only time a woman nice to me/Is when I get my check.” I can relate to the idea of money being tight. So can pretty much everyone I know.  “It costs too much to live and it costs too much to die.”

“Bowlegged Woman”

“Bowlegged Woman” is another tune with a good, mean groove. It’s a song that combines Chicago and New Orleans – in which he calls out, “Hey little girl in a tight sweater.” Oh yes. I love it when his voice gets low, when he lets you know just what he’s up to, what he wants. And what you want too.

CD Track List

1. Down In Louisiana
2. You Just Like A Dresser
3. I Ain’t The One
4. Don’t You Cry
5. Tight Money
6. Boogie In The Dark
7. Raining In My Heart
8. Rock This House
9. What Is The Blues
10. Bowlegged Woman
11. Swing Low

Musicians

Musicians appearing on this release include Bobby Rush on vocals, harmonica and guitar; Paul Brown on Rhodes, Wurlitzer, piano, Hammond B3 and vocals; Pete Mendillo on drums and percussion; Terry Richardson on bass; Lou Rodriguez on guitar; and April Brown on backing vocals.

Down In Louisiana is scheduled to be released on February 19, 2013 on Deep Rush Records through Thirty Tigers.

January 2013 Concert Calendar

A new year. I'm going to try to get to more concerts this year than last year. Here is a list of concerts you might be interested in for the month of January. Most of these are bands that I've reviewed, though some are some bands that I haven't yet written about, but really like. If you can, try to check out at least a few of these shows. I will try to add to this calendar as much as I can throughout the month.

January 1, 2013  (Tuesday)

January 2, 2013  (Wednesday)

January 3, 2013  (Thursday)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY

January 4, 2013  (Friday)
Ellis Paul  -  Unity Church, Lawrence, KS  -  7:30 p.m.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY

January 5, 2013  (Saturday)
Steve Poltz  -  Private Event, San Diego, CA
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY
The Trishas  -  MusicFest, Steamboat, CO
The Whooligans  -  The Auld Dubliner, Long Beach, CA  -  10:00 p.m.

January 6, 2013  (Sunday)
Ellis Paul  -  The Performing Arts Studio in the Norman Depot, Norman, OK  -  2:00 p.m.
Special family show
Ellis Paul  -  The Performing Arts Studio in the Norman Depot, Norman, OK  -  7:00 p.m.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY

January 7, 2013  (Monday)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY

January 8, 2013  (Tuesday)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY
Dar Williams  -  L2 Arts & Culture Center, Denver, CO

January 9, 2013 (Wednesday)
The Dunwells  -  City Winery, New York, NY
The Loomers  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
One-Hit Wonders Night
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY 
Dar Williams  -  Vilar Center For The Arts, Beaver Creek, CO

January 10, 2013 (Thursday)
Peter Mulvey  -  Bo Diddley's Deli, St. Cloud, MN
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY 
Dar Williams  -  eTown Hall, Boulder, CO
Keller Williams  -  Newby's, Memphis, TN
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN

January 11, 2013  (Friday)
Cake  -  Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
The Dunwells  -  B.B. King Blues Club and Grill, New York, NY
Los Lobos  -  Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts, Cerritos, CA  -  8:00 p.m.
Peter Mulvey and Kelly Joe Phelps -  Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY 
Martin Sexton  -  Attucks Theatre, Norfolk, VA
Dar Williams and Loudon Wainwright III -  Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA
Keller Williams  - Revolution Music Room,  Little Rock, AR
Stephane Wrembel  -  World Cafe Live at the Queen, Wilmington, DE
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN

January 12, 2013  (Saturday)
Cake  -  The Wellmont Theatre, Montclair, NJ
Antje Duvekot  -  Stone Soup Coffeehouse, Pawtucket, RI   -  8:00 p.m.
Go Betty Go  -  Eleven, San Diego, CA  -  8:00 p.m.
Diana Jones  -  Kathryn's Space House Concert Series, New York, NY  -  8:00 p.m.
Los Lobos  -  Bing Concert Hall, Stanford, CA  -  7:00 p.m.
Acoustic Performance
Los Lobos  -  Bing Concert Hall, Standford, CA  -  9:00 p.m.
Acoustic Performance
Patrolled By Radar  -  Cinema Bar, Culver City, CA
Ellis Paul  -  Wieden Auditorium, University Of Maine Presque Isle, Presque Isle, ME  -  7:00 p.m.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY 
Martin Sexton  -  930 Club, Washington, D.C.
The Whooligans  -  The Red Leprechaun, Long Beach, CA  -  7:00 p.m.
Dar Williams and Loudon Wainwright III - Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA
Keller Williams  -   Gillioz Theatre, Springfield, MO
Stephane Wrembel  -  Towne Crier Cafe, Pawling, NY
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA

January 13, 2013  (Sunday)
Los Lobos  -  Three Stages PAC. Folsom, CA  -  7:00 p.m.
Acoustic performance
Peter Mulvey  -   Stage North, Washburn, WI
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  The McKittrick Hotel, New York, NY
Stephane Wrembel  -  Webster Hall, Manhattan, NY

January 14, 2013 (Monday)

January 15, 2013  (Tuesday)
Aimee Mann  -  Nalen, Stockholm, SE

January 16, 2013  (Wednesday)
Los Lobos  -  Benaroya Symphony Hall, Seattle, WA  -  8:00 p.m.
Aimee Mann  -  Pustervik, Gothenburg, SE
Stephane Wrembel  -  Carriage House, Ithaca, NY

January 17, 2013  (Thursday)
Antje Duvekot  -  The Altamont, Asheville, NC
Paul Kelly  -  Old School Of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
Aimee Mann  -  KB, Malmo, SE
Erin McKeown  -  Brighton Music Hall, Boston, MA
Ellis Paul  -  Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA
Keller Williams  -   Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
Stephane Wrembel  -  Thunderbird Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  Plaza Theater, Orlando, FL

January 18, 2013  (Friday)
The Dunwells  -  Celtic Connections Festival, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Antje Duvekot  -  The Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC
Paul Kelly  -  7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
Los Lobos  -  Austin City Limits, Austin, TX
Aimee Mann  -  Train, Aarhus, DK
Erin McKeown  -  Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
James McMurtry  -  Granada Theatre, Dallas, TX
Peter Mulvey  -  Private Event,  Lancaster, WI
Patrolled By Radar  -  House Of Blues Foundation Room,  Hollywood, CA
Ellis Paul  -  Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA  -  8:00 p.m.
Martin Sexton  -  Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, VT
The Trishas  -  Anderson Fair, Houston, TX
Keller Williams  -   Marquee Theatre, Tempe, AZ
Stephane Wrembel  -  The Nighttown, Cleveland, OH
Yonder Mountain String Band  -   Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL

January 19, 2013  (Saturday)
Antje Duvekot  -  Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA
Entrain  -  The Grog, Newburyport, MA
Go Betty Go  -  The Wicked Shamrock, Lompoc, CA
Los Lobos  -  The Kessler Theater, Dallas, TX
Erin McKeown  -  Littlefield, Brooklyn, NY
James McMurtry  -  Cheatham Street Warehouse, San Marcos, TX
Peter Mulvey  -  Jensen Community Center, Amherst, WI
Ellis Paul  -  Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA -  11:00 a.m.
Special Family show
Ellis Paul  -  House Concert, Redding, CA  -  8:00 p.m.
Martin Sexton  -  Lupo's, Providence, RI
The Trishas  -  Anderson Fair, Houston, TX
Keller Williams  -  Orpheum Theater, Flagstaff, AZ
The Whooligans  -  The Auld Dubliner, Long Beach, CA  -  10:00 p.m.
Stephane Wrembel  -  The Blue Wisp, Cincinnati, OH
Yonder Mountain String Band  -   Jannus Live, St. Petersburg, FL

January 20, 2013  (Sunday)
Antje Duvekot  -  WorkPlay Theatre, Birmingham, AL
Los Lobos  -  Dosey Doe, The Woodlands, TX
Aimee Mann  -  Columbia Club, Berlin, DE
Erin McKeown  -  Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA
Ellis Paul  -   Don Quixote's, Felton, CA
The Trishas  -  New Braunfels House Concerts, New Braunfels, TX
Yonder Mountain String Band  -   Freebird Live, Jacksonville, FL

January 21, 2013  (Monday)
Aimee Mann  -  Fabrik, Hamburg, DE
Erin McKeown  -  Iota, Arlington, VA

January 22, 2013  (Tuesday)
Los Lobos  -  The Acadiana Center For Arts, Lafayette, LA
Aimee Mann  -  Gloria Theatre, Cologne, DE

January 23, 2013  (Wednesday)
Samantha Crain  -  The Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh, NC
Los Lobos  -  Tipitina's, New Orleans, LA
Erin McKeown  -  Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
Peter Mulvey  -   The Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  Jefferson Theater,  Charlottesville, VA

January 24, 2013  (Thursday)
Samantha Crain  -   The Soapbox LaundroLounge, Wilmington, NC
Gaelic Storm  -  The Plaza Live, Orlando, FL
Aimee Mann  -  Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL
Erin McKeown  -   Beachand Tavern, Cleveland, OH
Peter Mulvey  -   Jammin Java, Vienna, VA
Ellis Paul  -  3rd & Lindsley, Nashville, TN
Keller Williams  -  Alabama Music Box, Mobile, AL
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  Orange Peel,  Asheville, NC

January 25, 2013  (Friday)
Samantha Crain  -   Givens Performing Arts Center, Pembroke, NC
Gaelic Storm  -  Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Tracy Grammer  -  Ram's Head, Annapolis, MD
Aimee Mann  -  Vooruit, Gent, BE
Erin McKeown  -  The Hideout, Chicago, IL
Peter Mulvey  -   Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke, VA
Ellis Paul  -  Moonlight On The Mountain, Birmingham, AL  -  8:00 p.m.
Martin Sexton  -  State Theatre,  Portland, ME
Keller Williams  -   Tipitina's Uptown, New Orleans, LA
Yonder Mountain String Band  -  Orange Peel, Asheville, NC

January 26, 2013  (Saturday)
Samantha Crain  -  Givens Performing Arts Center, Pembroke, NC
Antje Duvekot  -  Princeton Coffeehouse, Princeton, IL
Entrain  -  MV Chili Fest, Oak Bluffs, MA
Gaelic Storm  -  Pasco-Hernando Community College, New Port Richey, FL
Tracy Grammer  -  World Cafe, Wilmington, DE
Aimee Mann  -  Bataclan, Paris, France
Erin McKeown  -  Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN
Peter Mulvey  -  Halton Theater, Charlotte, NC
Patrolled By Radar  -  The Foundry, Hollywood, CA  -  9:00 p.m.
Ellis Paul  -  Buckman Performing Arts, Memphis, TN  -  10:00 a.m.
Special Family Show
Ellis Paul  -  Buckman Performing Arts, Memphis, TN  -  8:00 p.m.
Martin Sexton  -  Flying Monkey, Plymouth, NH
Keller Williams  -   Fitzgerald's, Houston, TX

January 27, 2013  (Sunday)
Samantha Crain  -  House Show, Charlotte, NC
Antje Duvekot  -  Unitarian Congregation, Columbus, IN
Peter Mulvey  -  Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA
The Whooligans  -  Nadine's Irish Mist, Sunset Beach, CA  -  4:00 p.m.

January 28, 2013  (Monday)
Gaelic Storm  -  Lyric Theater, Stuart, FL
Aimee Mann  -  Royal Festival Hall, London, GB

January 29, 2013  (Tuesday)
Paul Kelly  -  The Grammy Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Peter Mulvey  -   Vagabond Blues, Palmer, AK

January 30, 2013  (Wednesday)
Gaelic Storm  -  Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
Aimee Mann  -  ABC-Celtic Connections, Glasgow, GB

January 31, 2013  (Thursday)
Gaelic Storm  -  The Handlebar, Greenville, SC
Paul Kelly  -  Triple Door, Seattle, WA
Aimee Mann  -  Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin, IE
Ellis Paul  -  Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA  -  8:00 p.m.
The Trishas  -  Courville's, Beaumont, TX
Keller Williams  -   Bell's Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo, MI