Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang: “Four Foot Shack” (2014) CD Review

Four Foot Shack, the new CD from Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang, is one of the most fun CDs I have heard in a while. It’s full of great, raw, mean vibes, mixing country with a punk energy, and all with a certain sense of humor.  There is a great mix of original material with some well-chosen covers. Some of the tracks are songs that Les Claypool had also recorded with Primus, such as “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver,” “Amos Moses” and “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver.” Others, like “Buzzards Of Green Hill” and “D’s Diner,” were recorded by Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade. Because this is Les Claypool, you can expect some great prominent bass lines. Songs like “Boonville Stomp” had me dancing like a maniac around my apartment. This album also features the best version of “Stayin’ Alive” I’ve ever heard. It’s fucking fantastic. I also absolutely love their rendition of “Battle Of New Orleans” which is another of the CD’s highlights, with lots of nice vocal work (and of course that famous theme from “Dixie”).

Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang is Les Claypool on vocals and bass, and Bryan Kehoe on guitar and backing vocals. Wylie Woods joins them on mandolin and backing vocals on a few tracks.

Primus Song, “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver”

Four Foot Shack opens with its title track, a very short, but cool tune. Though it does sound like he’s singing from deep inside a large metal vat or something. The album truly gets going with the second track, “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.” It comes on with a great, raw power, those first notes on the bass like a great slap, waking me up and putting a big fucking smile on my face. There is also some seriously cool work on guitar on this track. The vocals come fast, delivered almost as if over a truck’s CB radio. This is some kick-ass back porch brew, and it’s that wonderful country element in the second half of the tune that really makes me love it. This is one of the tunes that Les Claypool recorded with Primus, the original version appearing on Tales From The Punchbowl.

“Amos Moses” and “Red State Girl”

Some of the greatest story-songs take place in Louisiana, and “Amos Moses” is a hell of a fun tune, whose story includes hunting alligators. This is one of the CD’s covers, written by Jerry Reed Hubbard, but these guys totally own the song. Hell, I believe these guys were there. I believe it all. For some reason, the way Les Claypool sings “his pretty wife Hannah” makes me laugh each time.

“Red State Girl” cracked me up too, with lyrics like “She got tits made out of recycled bottles/Her hair flipped up in a curl/She wants to grow up to be Sarah Palin/She’s a self-proclaimed bona fide red-state girl” and “He’s a poor man trapped in a poor man’s body.” I love that bass line. There is a false ending of sorts, followed by a little vocal play that is so damn funny and totally delightful.

“The Bridge Came Tumblin’ Down”

I totally dig that country rhythm on “The Bridge Came Tumblin’ Down,” played in a great heavy way with a thumping joyful power. This is one of my favorite tracks. It’s another that tells a great story, this one a true story about a bridge going up and coming down. “When the bridge came tumbling down/And nineteen men were drowned in June of 1958/In old Vancouver town.” There is a very cool instrumental section. “The Bridge Came Tumblin’ Down” was written by Tom Connors.

The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive”

One of the highlights of Four Foot Shack is their completely wonderful cover of “Stayin’ Alive.” The first time I listened to this album, this track caught me by surprise, and delighted me so much I listened to it like five or six times before continuing on to the next song. This is absolutely my favorite cover ever of this song. It’s silly, and completely fucking awesome. The addition of the cowboy-type vocals on “Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive” making it sound more like “How, how, how, how, we’re stayin’ alive” is just one of the many delightful touches on this track. Also, this is one of the tracks that feature Wylie Woods on mandolin and backing vocals. Anyone with ears should check out this tune. Honestly, even if the rest of the album were total horseshit, it would still be worth owning for this track.

“Pipeline”

Of course, the rest of the album is also really good. There’s a cool cover of “Pipeline.” This one is more of a straightforward cover, with the exception of the absolutely fantastic vocal line – the “la la la” part, which made me think that Jim’s Big Ego should open for these guys on tour. You’ll know what I mean when you hear it. Listen to this song, then listen to Jim’s Big Ego’s “She’s Dead.”

“Hendershot”

“Hendershot” is another favorite of mine. The vocals are what really make this one such a great track. There is a really good sense of humor in the delivery. There is also some nice work on guitar. This is a tune that Les Claypool recorded earlier with Les Claypool And The Holy Mackerel, and released on Highball With The Devil.

“Jerry Was A Race Car Driver”

Four Foot Shack concludes with “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver,” the song racing along just as its title character does. This is a song that Les Claypool recorded with Primus, the original version appearing on Sailing The Seas Of Cheese. It’s the perfect ending to this excellent CD.

CD Track List

1. Four Foot Shack
2. Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver
3. Amos Moses
4. Red State Girl
5. The Bridge Came Tumblin’ Down
6. Boonville Stomp
7. Stayin’ Alive
8. Rumble Of The Diesel
9. Pipeline
10. Buzzards Of Green Hill
11. Hendershot
12. Man In The Box
13. D’s Diner
14. Battle Of New Orleans
15. Jerry Was A Race Car Driver

Four Foot Shack is scheduled to be released on February 4, 2014 on ATO Records.

(Note: I also posted this review on Pop Culture Beast.)

This Is The Town: A Tribute To Nilsson Volume 1 (2014) CD Review

This Is The Town: A Tribute To Nilsson Volume 1 is an excellent collection of Nilsson covers done by artists who are clearly big fans. These are all new recordings, and feature some of his most well-known songs, including “Coconut” and “Me And My Arrow,” and a few that he didn’t write but were hits, such as “Everybody’s Talkin’” and (of course) “Without You.”

There are lots of interesting takes on Harry Nilsson’s material, with the artists clearly understanding the sense of humor in many of the songs. Obviously “You’re Breakin’ My Heart” stands out, but there are lots of humorous lyrics contained throughout his work, such as these lines from “Don’t Forget Me”: “I’ll miss you when I’m lonely/I’ll miss the alimony too.” Harry’s daughter Annie contributes one track as well as the album’s artwork.

This Is The Town was produced and mixed by Kenny Siegal, who plays bass on several tracks. His own band, Johnny Society, contributes a track. There is well over an hour of music here. By the way, the compilation’s title comes from the first line of “Everything’s Got ‘Em.”

This Is The Town opens with a fun groovy version of “Early In The Morning” by Langhorne Slim, done with a New Orleans beat. I dig the piano work. I also love that sort of anguished scream in Langhorne’s voice. It is interesting that the CD opens with one of only a few tunes not actually written by Harry Nilsson. “Early In The Morning” was written by Leo Hickman, Louis Jordan and Dallas Bartley.

“You’re Breakin’ My Heart”

Dawn Landes gives us a delightful, playful rendition of “You’re Breakin’ My Heart.” I absolutely love this song, and I love this version. The lead vocals  are sung so sweetly, so innocently: “You’re breakin' my heart/It tears me apart/Fuck you.” Everything about this one is perfect, including the backing vocals on “Fuck you.”

Jenny O contributes a nice, jazzy version of “1941,” with some excellent vocals. This song has a great vibe. This collection includes a very cool version of “Me And My Arrow” by The Mommyheads, who are clearly influenced by The Beatles in their approach to this famous tune.

Annie Nilsson

Harry’s daughter, Annie Nilsson, covers one of my favorite Nilsson tunes, “Gotta Get Up.” This is a wonderful rendition. Harry’s son Zak is also on this track, playing drums and performing backing vocals. “We never thought we’d get older.” And it has the sound of a beautiful carnival ride gone haywire at the end.

Johanna Warren does a quite pretty rendition of “Without Her.” Johanna contributes her own backing vocals, which are beautiful. In fact, no other musician appears on this track.

The Wiyos

One of my favorite tracks is The Wiyos’ version of “Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore,” due in large part to Mike Farcas’ work on harmonica. But also this song has a certain swing to it, which is delightful. I dig Seth Travins’ work on bass. And to top it off, there is some delicious lap steel by Ted Weber. (I need to hear more from this band.)

“Sweethaven”

And then holy moly, what a cool version of “Sweethaven” done by Rasputina. Yes, it’s the song from Popeye, and if you remember the film, you know the music is the best thing about it. I got the soundtrack when the film came out mainly for this song, and listened to it over and over. Yeah, maybe I was a weird kid, but this is a great song. And this version features cello, an instrument I always love. (“He Needs Me” is another excellent song from that soundtrack. And I admit I also really like “He’s Large.”)

“Without You” and “Coconut”

One of Nilsson’s most famous songs is one he didn’t write – “Without You.” These days whenever I hear that song I think of that great scene from The Rules Of Attraction. Anyway, this rendition by Church Of Betty features sitar and table, giving it a very different feel. "Without You" was written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger, who first recorded the song.

Brian Dewan contributes a wonderful version of “Coconut,” one of Nilsson’s most famous and silly tunes. I love Brian’s vocals; they’re deep, and right there in your ear. Tracy Bonham provides backing vocals, and there’s something kind of sexy about the way she sings, “Doctor.”

“Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song” and “One”

Johnny Society’s version of “Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song” is very cool. Dan Levine plays tuba, trombone and trumpet on this track. This version includes a nod to “One,” another song that Nilsson included Aerial Ballet, the same album that contains the original version of “Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song.” Nilsson himself combined the two songs in the same way on the 1971 special, The Music Of Nilsson. (“One,” of course, was a big hit for Three Dog Night.)

CD Track List

1. Early In The Morning – Langhorne Slim
2. You’re Breakin’ My Heart – Dawn Landes
3. Jump Into The Fire – Low Cut Connie
4. 1941 – Jenny O
5. Me And My Arrow – The Mommyheads
6. Gotta Get Up – Annie Nilsson
7. Poli High – Blueberry
8. Think About Your Troubles – Willy Mason
9. Rainmaker – Yellowbirds
10. Without Her – Johanna Warren
11. Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore – The Wiyos
12. Sweethaven – Rasputina
13. Without You – Church Of Betty
14. Are You Sleeping? – Marco Benevento
15. Everybody’s Talkin’ – Tracy Bonham
16. Everything’s Got ‘Em – Stellacutta
17. Coconut – Brian Dewan
18. Mr. Richland’s Favorite Song – Johnny Society
19. Don’t Forget Me – Mamie Minch
20. I Said Goodbye To Me – Josh Kaufman

This Is The Town: A Tribute To Nilsson Volume 1 is scheduled to be released on February 4, 2014 through The Royal Potato Family. I am looking forward to Volume 2.

(And if it’s not too late to get in my requests for Volume 2, they are “Daddy’s Song,” “Best Friend,” “Cuddly Toy,” and “He Needs Me.”)

(Note: I also posted this review on Pop Culture Beast.)

An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story: Music From And Inspired By The Film (2013) CD Review

An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story is a documentary film about a man who was wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife. It premiered on CNN on December 5, 2013. The soundtrack features mostly instrumental tracks composed and performed by Rich Brotherton and Chuck Pinnell. There are also several songs featuring guest vocals by Texas singer-songwriters, such as Robert Earl Keen, Slaid Cleaves and Eliza Gilkyson.

Instrumentals

Most of the tracks on this CD are instrumentals, written and performed by Rich Brotherton and Chuck Pinnell. And though they were composed with scenes from the film in mind, they also, for the most part, work well on their own. (I haven’t seen the film, and I really enjoyed most of these tracks.) They are mostly acoustic in arrangements. Chuck Pinnell plays acoustic guitar, classical guitar, and hammer dulcimer. Rich Brotherton plays acoustic guitar, tenor guitar, resonator guitar, dobro, cittern, mandolin, electric guitar, electric bass and keyboards.

Some of the instrumental tracks have a nice, dark, slow bluesy feel, such as “Conviction,” “Ramsey Unit Stomp” and “An Evil Place.” Those are among my favorites. Others have a pretty, soothing feel, such as “Epiphany.” “Christine” is a soft, pretty instrumental tune, with its first section mainly acoustic guitar. The song changes toward the end, but retains its sweet beauty. That song’s title is Michael Morton’s wife’s name. “Freedom” is a really good, uplifting acoustic tune.

“Reunion” is a pretty, mellow yet uplifting instrumental piece, featuring a wonderful string section, the string arrangement being by Peter Stopschinski. James Anderson, Alexis Buffum and Paul Anderson are all on violin, and Valerie Klatt-Fischer is on cello.

“In The Pines” with Slaid Cleaves and Eliza Gilkyson

The CD includes a version of “In The Pines” done as a gorgeous and haunting duet, with excellent vocal performances from both Slaid Cleaves and Eliza Gilkyson. Their vocals blend so well together. This version is made even more moving by the inclusion of Diana Burgess on cello.

“Midnight Special”

There is also a fun acoustic rendition of “Midnight Special,” the traditional song made popular by Creedence Clearwater Revival. This version features Rich Brotherton on vocals, Steve Doerr on harmonica and David Carroll on bass. I really love this rendition. There is some great work on acoustic guitar.

“Take This Hammer”

The CD includes a really good, slow, heartfelt version of “Take This Hammer,” featuring Robert Earl Keen on vocals. This version has a wonderful build, helped in part by the presence of Jon Greene on drums.

“Amazing Grace”

There is a beautifully simple, straightforward and sweet version of “Amazing Grace,” with Jerry Jeff Walker on vocals and acoustic rhythm guitar. This version also features Chris Gage on accordion and acoustic lead guitar.

“Whispering Hope”

Tina Wilkins and Jimmy LaFave provide vocals on the CD’s final track, “Whispering Hope.” Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Wait ‘til the darkness is over/Wait ‘til the tempest is done/Hope for the sunshine tomorrow/After the shower is gone/Whispering hope.” Their vocals sound great together. The song is helped by a small string section – Diana Burgess on cello and Warren Hood on violin. “Whispering Hope” was written by Septimus Winner.

CD Track List

1. Opening
2. Christine
3. In The Pines
4. Ambush
5. Conviction
6. Belly Of The Beast
7. Midnight Special
8. Last Goodbye
9. Ramsey Unit Stomp
10. Epiphany
11. Take This Hammer
12. At Last, Truth
13. Monsters
14. Transcendence 1
15. Amazing Grace
16. Freedom
17. An Evil Place
18. Transcendence 2
19. Reunion
20. Whispering Home

An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story: Music From And Inspired By The Film was released on December 3, 2013.

Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition: “Dark Night Of The Soul” (2014) CD Review

In the mid-1990s when I was living in Oregon I had the pleasure of seeing The Squirrel Nut Zippers in concert. It was a great show (even though they refused to play “Anything But Love”). And then for some reason or another I lost track of those musicians, until 2012, when I heard Jimbo Mathus' EP Blue Light, an excellent and interesting mix of genres, including country, rock and blues. And now his new full-length CD, Dark Night Of The Soul, is also a wonderful combination of musical influences. At times it is more in the rock category, but with lots of country influences as well. Jimbo Mathus’ vocals are full of emotion and power and humanity, and it is often his vocals that drive these songs. This album certainly starts off strong, but many of my favorites are the later tracks, and the CD’s final track is something I can’t seem to shake from my head.

The album begins with its title track, “Dark Night Of The Soul,” which opens with some really nice, sweet work on piano. And when Jimbo Mathus’ vocals come in, they have a gorgeous, raw, emotional feel (the first moment reminding me of Steve Perry’s most heartfelt moments with Journey). “Dark night of the soul/Take me to your sweet solution/Bathe me in your absolution/Dark night of the soul.” Then the song kicks in, but still has a loose, strange feel, which I really like. There is something wonderfully untamed about the song’s energy. And then toward the end, we return to the sweet piano.

“White Angel” has a raw rock vibe, with something of a southern rock thing happening and some good work on electric guitar. What I love is this sort of unpolished delivery, particularly in the louder sections of the song, almost like he has something he needs to get across and perhaps just one take in which to do it.

“Rock & Roll Trash” is more firmly in the rock and roll vein, with a nod to Velvet Underground in the line “dance to the rock and roll station.” Then “Shine Like A Diamond” is a love song about how the right woman can turn a man’s life around, make things right. The opening lines are, “I was worried one time/I’m not worried anymore/From the minute I saw you walk through the door/I said to myself/When I first laid eyes on you, girl/You shine like a diamond and you’re my girl/You shine like a diamond and you’re flawless like a pearl.” Perfect, right? This is one of my favorite tracks. There is another Velvet Underground reference (“sweet nuthin’”), plus a Van Morrison reference at the end.

Another of my favorites is the album’s following track, “Writing Spider,” which has more of a country rock feel. There is something really catchy about this tune. The last lines are, “I’ll open the door for anything/Just far enough to let light in/But I’ll close the door so many times/On all the trouble that I had back then.” The great country rock vibes continue with “Tallahatchie,” another highlight of this CD. I love the feel of this one, due in part to the fun work on piano (Eric Carlton is on keys on this album). And it has a reference to Canned Heat’s “Going Up The Country” in the line, “We’re gonna jump in the water and stay stoned all the time.”

“Fire In The Canebrake” has a slow, funky groove. This song during its instrumental section actually calls to mind Frank Zappa, but then vocally at certain moments makes me think of early ZZ Top. It’s a cool tune. And then “Hawkeye Jordan” has a good country rock vibe that at times reminds me of The Band. That one features more great work on piano and guitar, and I totally dig the vocal performance.

Another of my favorites is “Casey Caught The Cannonball,” which is more very cool country rock. I really love this tune. It has the feel of a down-home celebration, including some work on harmonica. “Take a fast train, baby, to ease my worried mind.”

Musically, probably the most arresting and haunting track is the album’s final song, “Butcher Bird.” Lyrically, it’s okay, but the sound of this song is fantastic, nearly hypnotic in a way, and might be my favorite track on the album. It will transport you.

CD Track List

1. Dark Night Of The Soul
2. White Angel
3. Rock & Roll Trash
4. Shine Like A Diamond
5. Writing Spider
6. Tallahatchie
7. Burn The Ships
8. Fire In The Canebrake
9. Hawkeye Jordan
10. Casey Caught The Cannonball
11. Medicine
12. Butcher Bird

Dark Night Of The Soul is scheduled to be released on February 18, 2014 on Fat Possum Records.

January 2014 Concert Calendar

Well, last year saw a lot of great new releases. I expect the same of this year. And I'm hoping to get to more concerts this year. The whole point of this blog is to let people know about all the good music that's out there. Here is a list of concerts you might be interested in for the month of January, 2014. Most of these are bands that I've reviewed, though some are some bands that I haven't yet written about, but really like. There aren't quite as many shows as other months, but I will try to add to this calendar as much as I can throughout the month.

January 1, 2014  (Wednesday)
The Loomers  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
 
January 2, 2014  (Thursday)
Marshall Chapman  -  Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, BC, Mexico

January 3, 2014  (Friday)
Marshall Chapman  -  Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, BC, Mexico
Bill Kirchen  -  Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke, VA
Ryan Montbleau  -  Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH
Willie Nile  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  -  7:00 p.m.
Willie Nile  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA  - 10:00 p.m.

January 4, 2014  (Saturday)
Willie Nile  -  Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH
Keller Williams  -  Jam Cruise, Miami, FL

January 5, 2014  (Sunday)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  -  Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota, FL

January 6, 2014  (Monday)

January 7, 2014  (Tuesday)
Les Claypool's Duo De Twang  -  House Of Blues, Orlando, FL

January 8, 2014  (Wednesday)
Les Claypool's Duo De Twang  -  State Theater, St. Petersburg, FL
I See Hawks In L.A.  -  The Firefly, 1009 El Centro St., South Pasadena, CA  -  7:00 p.m.
Bill Kirchen  -  Saxon Pub, Austin, TX

January 9, 2014  (Thursday)
Marshall Chapman  -  Mucky Duck, Houston, TX
Les Claypool's Duo De Twang  -  Florida Revolution, Ft Lauderdale, FL
Keller Williams  -  Pickle Barrel, Killington, VT

January 10, 2014 (Friday)
Bill Kirchen  -  Gruene Hall, New Braunfels, TX
Willie Nile  -  Outpost In The Burbs, Montclair, NJ
Ellis Paul  -  Uncle Calvin's Coffeehouse, 9555 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX  -  8:00 p.m.
Keller Willams  -  Tupelo Music Hall, Londonderry, NH

January 11, 2014  (Saturday)
Antje Duvekot  -  The Linda, Albany, NY  -  7:00 p.m.
Ruthie Foster  -  Parlor Concerts at McCoole's, Quakertown, PA
Tracy Grammer  -  Iron Horse Music Hall, Northampton, MA
I See Hawks In L.A.  -  Cinema Bar, 3967 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City, CA
The Nields  -  First Encounter Coffeehouse, Eastham, MA
Ellis Paul  -  Dosey Doe's Music Cafe, 463 FM 1488, Conroe, TX  -  7:30 p.m.
Keller Williams  -  Stage One, Fairfield, CT 

January 12, 2014  (Sunday)
Tracy Grammer  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
Ellis Paul  -  Fellowship Hall at the Church at Lake Cherokee, 11968 FM 2011 East, Henderson, TX  -  7:00 p.m.
Keller Williams  -  B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, New York, NY

January 13, 2014  (Monday)

January 14, 2014  (Tuesday)
Antje Duvekot  -  Arcata Playhouse, Arcata, CA

January 15, 2014  (Wednesday)
Antje Duvekot  -  Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA
The Grownup Noise  -  Davis Square Theatre, Somerville, MA
(special Neil Young tribute show)
Bill Kirchen  -  Saxon Pub, Austin, TX

January 16, 2014  (Thursday)
Tracy Grammer  -  Little River Inn, Little River, CA
Ryan Montbleau Band  -  Jungle Jam, Jaco, Costa Rica
Keller Williams  -  Madison Theater, Covington, KY  -  9:00 p.m.

January 17, 2014  (Friday)
Marshall Chapman  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL
Antje Duvekot  -  The Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA  -  7:00 p.m.
Steve Forbert  -  Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, NY
Tracy Grammer  -  Arcata Playhouse, Arcata, CA
James McMurtry  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL
Ryan Montbleau Band  -  Jungle Jam, Jaco, Costa Rica 
Willie Nile  -  Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA
Ellis Paul  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL
Tea Leaf Green  -  Harlow's, Sacramento, CA 
Keller Williams  -  Park West, Chicago, IL

January 18, 2014  (Saturday)
Marshall Chapman  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL 
Antje Duvekot  -  San Luis Obispo Folk Society, Los Osos, CA 
Steve Forbert  -  South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Orange, NJ
James McMurtry  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL
Ryan Montbleau Band  -  Jungle Jam, Jaco, Costa Rica
Willie Nile  -  Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
Ellis Paul  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL
Tea Leaf Green  -  Crystal Bay Club Casino, Crystal Bay, NV
Wagons  -  Ballarat Beer Festival, Ballarat Vic, Australia 
Keller Williams  -   Majestic Theatre, Madison, WI

January 19, 2014  (Sunday)
Marshall Chapman  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL 
Antje Duvekot  -  Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA
James McMurtry  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL 
Ryan Montbleau Band  -  Jungle Jam, Jaco, Costa Rica 
Ellis Paul  -  5th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival, Walton, FL
Keller Williams  -   Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN

January 20, 2014  (Monday) 
Furthur  -  Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico 

January 21, 2014  (Tuesday)
Furthur  -  Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico 
Keller Williams  -   The Englert Theater, Iowa City, IA

January 22, 2014  (Wednesday)
Furthur  -  Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico 
Gaelic Storm  -  Lyric Theatre, Stuart, Fl
Tracy Grammer  -  Esalen, Big Sur, CA
Keller Williams  -   DG's Tap House, Ames, IA

January 23, 2014  (Thursday)
Furthur  -  Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico 
Gaelic Storm  -  Plaza Theatre, Orlando, Fl
Patty Griffin  -  Dan's Silverleaf, Denton, TX
Willie Nile  -  Front Porch Music, Valparaiso, IN
Dar Williams  -  Unity College, Unity, ME -  7:30 p.m.
Keller Williams  -  The Canopy Club, Urbana, IL

January 24, 2014  (Friday)
Bombadil  -  PSI Theatre, Durham Arts Council, Durham, NC
Antje Duvekot  -  The Crowell Chapel, Manchester By The Sea, MA
Ruthie Foster  -  Thalian Hall, Wilmington, NC
Gaelic Storm  -  Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL
The Greencards  -  Cedarburg Performing Arts, Cedarburg, WI
Patty Griffin  -  The Blue Door, Oklahoma City, OK
James McMurtry  -  Floore's Country Store, Helotes, TX
Willie Nile  -  Uptown Grill's Playlist Theater, LaSalle, IL
Tea Leaf Green  -  New Parish, Oakland, CA
Dar Williams  -  Stage One, Fairfield, CT
Keller Williams  -  The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN

January 25, 2014  (Saturday)
Bombadil  -  PSI Theatre, Durham Arts Council, Durham, NC 
Gaelic Storm  -  Pasco-Hernando Community College, New Port Richey, FL
Tracy Grammer  -  The Woodshed, Los Gatos, CA
Patty Griffin  -  The Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS
The Howlin' Brothers  -  Magnolia Theatre For Magnolia Music & Medicine Show, Eastman, GA
Sarah Jaffe  -  Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX
Ryan Montbleau  -  Minsky Recital Hall, Orono, ME
Willie Nile  -  Fitzgerald's, Berwyn, IL
Tea Leaf Green  -  Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz, CA
Johanna Warren  -  Smokey Jones' Locker, Boston, MA
Dar Williams  -  The Landmark Square, Port Washington, NY -  8:00 p.m.
Keller Williams  -  Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH

January 26, 2014 (Sunday)
Bombadil  -  PSI Theatre, Durham Arts Council, Durham, NC 
Gaelic Storm  -  Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Ponte Vedra, FL
Patty Griffin  -  The Waiting Room Lounge, Omaha, NE
Willie Nile  -  Rumba Cafe, Columbus, OH
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  - Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Keller Williams  -  Fed Live, Harrisburg, PA

January 27, 2014 (Monday)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  - Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico

January 28, 2014  (Tuesday)
Gaelic Storm  -  The Blind Tiger, Greensboro, NC
Patty Griffin  -  Englert Theatre, Iowa City, IA

January 29, 2014  (Wednesday)
Gaelic Storm  -  Terminal West, Atlanta, GA
Tracy Grammer  -  Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley, CA
Patty Griffin  -  High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI
James McMurtry  -  Southland Ballroom, Raleigh, NC
Ryan Montbleau  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
Willie Nile  -  The Dakota, Minneapolis, MN
Johanna Warren  -  The Rock Shop, Brooklyn, NY

January 30, 2014 (Thursday)
Gaelic Storm  -  Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
Patty Griffin  -  Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI
Ryan Montbleau  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  - Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Dar Williams  -  Infinity Hall, Norfolk, CT

January 31, 2014  (Friday)
David Bromberg  -  Tillett Gardens, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Ruthie Foster  -  The Bugle Boy, La Grange, TX
Gaelic Storm -  Bijou Theatre, Knoxville, TN
Patty Griffin  -  Metro, Chicago, IL
Alexz Johnson  -  Oran Mor, Glasgow, UK
Bill Kirchen  -  Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, LA
Ryan Montbleau  -  Club Passim, Cambridge, MA
Willie Nile  -  Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI
Ellis Paul  - Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY  -  8:00 p.m. 
Preservation Hall Jazz Band  - Hard Rock Hotel, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Dar Williams  -  Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, MA  -  8:00 p.m.